Fanning the Flames
by InsideTheFangirlsHead
Summary: Haymitch's POV of Catching Fire. He doesn't need to explain my reputation. I'm the one who will turn the Capitols weapons against them. Im the veteran rebel. Im the one who would stop at nothing to watch the Capitol burn.
1. Chapter 1: Take a Bath

**Quite a few lines here are from Catching Fire, they all belong to Suzanne Collins. I am but a Fanfiction writer who wished to use them.**

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><p>I'm aware of nothing else except the frigid cold water that is running down my face and soaking my already soiled clothes. I spring up form the chair, probably sending it twenty feet across the room. My mind on autopilot, I slash my knife this way and that, spewing curses.<p>

"What are you doing?" I demand. I've just spotted Katniss who is sitting on my filthy windowsill who is wearing a rather bemused expression.

"You told me to wake you up before the cameras came"

"What?" _ I bet you I was drunk when I said that…_

"Your idea," she tells me with a shrug of her shoulders. My mind starts to rewind like a film reel, going over anything I might have said, drunk or otherwise._ Oh yea… I remember now._

"Why am I all wet?" I ask then, not remembering the part where I asked her to douse me in water, or maybe this is her indication that I need a bath.

"I couldn't shake you awake." I give her a look, not quite believing her. "Look," she says in response. "If you wanted to be babied, you should have asked Peeta." I start to grumble something not so polite but I'm interrupted by a: "Asked me what?" It's Peeta, looking better now then he did when he came out of the arena, and bless him, he brought me bread. Most of it goes stale anyways.

"Asked you to wake me without giving me pneumonia" I say grabbing he bread. I chuck my knife on the table, and then decide I would like to be a little drier. I take of my shirt, leaving me in an undershirt and proceed to wipe the excess water from my skin. I see Peeta entertain a bemused smile as he cleans my knife and slices the bread. He hands me the heel of it, still warm. I rip a chunk out of it with my teeth as Peeta asks whether Katniss wants any.

" No, I ate at the Hob. But thank you." She seems really hostile, I mean, more hostile than usual. And Peeta surprises me with an even more uninviting " You're welcome." I wipe my mouth on my shirt, then through the sailed garment away, I'll probably never see that shirt again.

"Brrr. You two have got some warming up to do before showtime." I thought I would need to give Katniss this t little lecture but Dear Old Peeta is usually so good at this, what's up?

"Take a bath Haymitch," She says jumping from her spot on the sill and exiting my house. I notice that she takes great care to put a nice distance between her and Peeta.

Peeta turns his head as she leaves, looking like a kicked puppy. He sighs as he finishes slicing the bread. He lays the knife on the table.

"I'd better go too, " he says , it sound like he's apologizing but really I don't care if he leaves or not. " And I agree with Katniss, you need a bath."

I did not take their advice. When the door swung shut behind him I immediately went to retrieve my chair. Once I had it back to where it was before I grabbed my knife and then proceeded to restart my nap that Katniss had so rudely awoken me from.

I don't know why I woke up, it was just Effie. But her annoying little _Rat tat tat_ on my door was getting old. And the " Haymitch? Haymitch, are you there?" 's every twenty seconds were really getting on my last nerve.

"What do you want?" I asked as I flung the door open. There stood Effie, looking very disgusted about my disgruntled appearance.

"You need a bath," she declares.

"Yes, I've been told. I just chose not to cave to Peer pressure, sweetheart." She looks past my shoulder. I'm not kidding when I say she looks a little green when the scent of my house reaches her little Capitol nose.

"Haymitch, you need to present yourself better. You got _two_ tributes out of the arena. _ Two!"_ she says again in case I didn't already realize that Katniss and Peeta both came out of the games alive. And One Tribute Plus another tribute equals two tributes. "And, the Quarter Quell!" She says. "You will be getting so much publicity because of it!"_Oh joy… _" That reminds me, I think you should let Katniss and Peeta mentor these games. So you can be free for interviews."

"I don't want to be free for interviews." I tell her.

"Why not?" she asks incredulously.

"I don't want to be interviewed." I deadpan. _I don't want to tell people about my experiences in the Quell. I don't want to remember my experiences in the Quell. I don't want people to glorify the Quell or any other sadistic Hunger Games._

"But it would be such a great experience for them! Their first year mentoring and they get to do it in a Quarter Quell! Not many people get to do that Haymitch!" she continues talking bringing up many points that, in her eyes, are perfect reasoning as to why I should not mentor. Her lips just keep moving as they form new syllables and words that are articulated with her capitol accent. I don't really hear any of the words, or at least they don't make an impression on me.

But after a while my legs start to get tired. I didn't invite her in to sit down and talk (not that she would have ventured inside my house anyway) so we are still standing on my step and to be honest, I am getting a bit cold.

"I thought you wanted me to have a bath!" I say, seeing as this may be my only way out of this one sided conversation. My words seem take her back to earth. She looks me up and down, as if trying to remember what she had said about me before.

"Yes," she decides. "You need a bath. Go." She orders.

"With pleasure," I say under my breath. I quickly close the door before Effie can come up with anything else annoying to say.

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><p><strong>First Chapter Done! With this I'll basically be corresponding with the chapters in Catching Fire, just in Haymitch's POV and because of that I have a favour to ask: I am going to need names of Stylist and mentorsvictors for upcoming chapters. Nothing major, I just need a few things like-**

_**Name:**_

_**Age:**_

_**Stylist/ Victor-**_

_**If victor what games ( and how they won)-**_

_**If stylist for what Quarter Quell Tribute-**_

_**Personality-**_

_**Appearance-**_

**That's it! You can PM me these or just review with them. And if you don't feel like submitting anybody REVIEW anyways**


	2. Chapter 2: Had to tell her

**Here we Have Chapter two! I still don't own any of the Hunger Games quotes here. WARNING: there is an F bomb**

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><p><em>Her dark Seam hair makes a thick curtain that obscures her face from my view. In front of her, lined by stones is a huge fire. Orange, yellow, white and glowing. My feet crunch against the dead grass of District twelve. When the crunch reaches her ears she turns, her hair swishing over her shoulder. When she takes in my face a huge smile of relief lights up her face.<em>

"_Haymitch! You're just in time!" She stands up quickly, rushing over to me. "We've been waiting for you!"_

"_Gillia?" _ You're supposed to be dead. All of you_ I think looking around at the others. There are three other people here: my mother, little brother and Maysilee Donner. They all stand there smiling, unchanged from the last time I saw them. Except for Maysilee, she lacks the puncture wounds in her throat that were made by the candy-pink birds._

"_We came for your toasting!" calls Demitri, my little brother rushing over to me with a piece of bread._

"_Toasting?"_

"_It's finally here, Haymitch!" says Gillia wrapping her arms around me. In shock I reciprocate, burying by face in her hair, in taking her scent of fire, fresh air and… roses? "I missed you" she whispers. I can't even reply to that, I've missed her so much. Too much for words to express. I'll I've wanted to do for twenty four years was to hold her close again and talk to her, and now I can. Now, I'm marrying her, I'm at our toasting with her._

"_C'mon, Haymitch!" Calls Maysilee. " Get toasting already!" Gillia lets out that giggle that I've always loved and grabs my hand, leading me toward the fire. When we get there we sit down, our bodies still touching. My mother comes over and hands Gillia a piece of bread. Gillia takes it and holds it over the fire. As soon as the bread is held over the fire it starts melting._

_Not like wax, but like an ice cube. Little drops of water fall from the bread as it gets smaller and smaller. The water droplets don't fall into the fire like every law of gravity says it should. Instead it flies down on an angle, landing at my feet. I look to Gillia, the Same thing is happening to her, little beads of water are forming as she slowly begins to disappear. On her face it looks like she crying._

" _Gillli!" I gasp, using my special nick name for her._

" _I love you Haymitch," She sighs raising her hand to touch my cheek. Her body is consumed by the water droplets now, they eat away until she is gone. Sadness and longing fill my body; I spin around looking at the others. My mother and brother are consumed by the water as well. It looks like a semi-clear force field has formed around their skins. Silently my mother raises her hand waving goodbye. I rush forward, trying to help. But they are gone before I can get there._

_Maysilee is still standing though, perfectly fine. She is looking at the ground where the water is moving in tiny little rivers towards my feet. A puddle, about three feet in diameter is now at my feet. I watch in awe as it slowly turns white and fluffy._ Snow_. In front of my eyes the pile grows to human size. Like the reverse of last time, the snow pile becomes a human and that human is President Coriolanus Snow._

_He gives me a wicked smile, displaying his teeth that are covered in blood. In time with his smile I hear Maysilee gasp and fall to the ground. I turn, shocked at what I see._

_It's Maysilee, hands around her throat which is now fresh with puncture wounds. The blood is seeping through her fingers. Before I know it I am on my knees holding her hand watching her die for the second time._ _Above us Snow just stand impassively as she dies again. _

_I look up at him from my place next to Maysilee._ "_Remember Haymitch," he says as Maysilee's body decomposes into water like the others. " I conrol Panem." The water has condensed to an even smaller form. Maysilee's pin. Katniss's pin. He picks it up examining it in his hand. "I call the shots." With that he crushes the pin in his fist triumphantly. The pin turns to ashes in his hand and seeps through his fingers._

I gasp as I wake up, I try to get out of the bed, but in the midst of my nightmare I severely tangled myself in my sheets. In my attempt to get up I fall out of the bed.

"Damn sheets!" I swear, slashing at hem with my knife, not interested (or patient enough) in detangling myself slowly. When the sheets lie in tattered strips around my bed I get up, still shaking form the affect of my dream.

I trudge into my bathroom; spotting a bottle of half empty wine I grab it. I chug it down fast, hoping that it will help reverse the affects of my dream.

_Gillia_.

I hadn't thought about her in years, it hurt to remember. I hadn't thought about any of them. Not my mother, not Demitri or Maysilee.

Why now? It was probably due to the fact that I saw Katniss and Peeta's fake reunion today. And felt bitter because of it. Sure it was fake, but at least in a twisted way, the capitol (or Snow more precisely) would let them be happy. I didn't get that, me being the example. I didn't get a chance to come back from the Games and be with whom I wanted because Snow fucking killed them all.  
>Although, if this whole rebellion thing works out I can have a bit of compensation.<p>

I'm quickly distracted by a knocking on my door. _Who wants to talk to me at this hour? _I think, looking at the clock._ People usually don't want to talk to me in the day, why would they want to now?_

"What do you want?" I demand, not caring who it is, or even if it's an avox who can't respond to my question.

" I need to talk to you," Katniss whispers. I groan inwardly.

"Now?" She nods earnestly. "This better be good" I huff, opening my door wider to let her in. She just stands there looking skeptical. "Well?" I snap, not interested in wasting time. The train lurches as we stop. A look of panic flashes over her face, it's as if she thinks Snow himself it about to board the train.

"_I control Panem. I call the shots."_ The word from my dream echo hauntingly in my head.

"The train's so stuffy." Now, I know she doesn't mean this literally. My eyes narrow as I try to guess what could be so important that she can't tell me on the train. Also, if it's that important I should probably be completely sober for this. Scratch that, if she had to wait 'till I was sober she would be waiting a damn long time. " I know what you need," I push past her into the hallway. I think I see her sigh in relief because I understood what she meant. When I get to a door I know will take us outside I stop to get it open. In my intoxicated state it's a little hard to open at first then it swings open on perfectly greased hinges.

I'm hit with a blast of cold air when it opens, raising goose bumps on my arms. I stumble out of the train, not anticipating the actual distance from here to the ground. Some Capitol worker sees me and rushes to my aid. Playing up my drunken act I wave them away. "Just want some fresh air." I inform them. "Only be a minute."

Thinking quickly Katniss follows with a: "Sorry. He's drunk. I'll get him" I hear her stumbling behind me through the snow.

When I feel we're a safe enough distance away from the train I turn on her. " What?" I ask, wanting to know the reason for our late night adventure. "Snow came to see me." She starts. I nod, telling her to continue this story which can't possibly have a good ending.

Katniss has buried herself pretty deep, I must admit. Attempting suicide in the arena which resulted in sparking the flame of rebellion, kissing Gale, not being so close to Peeta recently has also made her situation a lot harder. And there is also the typical Snow threat: death of loved ones if you fail to comply with what he wants.

"Then you can't fail." I tell her bluntly.

" If you could just help me get through this trip-" I cut her off fast. I need to make sure she knows that what is happening is not just a "Until the end of the trip" deal. " No Katniss, Its not just this trip." I tell her quickly.

" What do you mean?" she asks, her eyebrows knitted together in confusion.

" Even if you pull it off," I tell her, at the same time warning her that this trip may have horrible results. "They'll be back in another few months to take us all to the Games. You and Peeta, you'll be mentors now, every year from here on out. And every year they'll revisit the romance and broadcast the details of your private life, and you'll never, ever be able to do anything but live happily-ever-after with that boy."

I thinks that's a sufficient explanation, she should understand what I mean, she should know that this means that she can't ever be with Gale in any other way accept as a cousin. She needs to understand _now_that if she wants this to work she will need to marry Peeta. "Do you understand what I mean?" I ask, just looking for a certain answer.

She nods, and with the look on her face, I just ever so slightly feel like a jerk for telling her. But she had to know. There was no way around it.

I had hoped that after our talk last night Katniss would be a lot more amiable towards Peeta, considering they are basically engaged now even if he doesn't know it. But I was wrong; she can't even look him in the eye.

This may not go so well.

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><p><strong>The next chapters will start differing from the books because he will be talking about the Rebellion with other VictorsMentors. I would still like people to submit mentors/victors/stylists please REVIEW IF YOU LIKED THE CHAPTER**


	3. Chapter 3: Katniss Is Rebellion

**This is a longer Chapter than usual. Gosh, I wasn't planning on it being this long. But I was in a good mood.**

**Disclamer: Don't own any of it. If I had, (**_**SPOILER ALERT**_**!) Finnick would have lived.**

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><p>The door has only just closed behind Portia when I say: "You hypocrite."<p>

Peeta doesn't say anything, doesn't try to defend himself. He just sits down and prepares to face whatever I have to say. " You are mad at her for keeping a _secret_. One that I told her to keep, by the way." Peeta looks down at his bare chest. Its clear that I burst in while Portia was in the midst of dressing him for tonight's little gathering. "You're upset because she didn't tell you something that would in turn affect you." I continue, he still doesn't meet my gaze. He instead settles for picking a piece of lint off his dress pants and flicking it into the air. "Doesn't this sound a tad familiar, _Lover Boy_?"

He finally lifts his head to meet my gaze, "You're right, Haymitch." He sighs.

"I know that's why I came." I say, affording him the humour because he didn't try to put up a fight with me.

"But I just don't want her to need to handle these kinds of things on her own. And yes, I was mad that she told you instead of me, seeing as it does involve the two of us and not you and Katniss."

"Disregarding that last comment, I'll just say this. Katniss can, will and has handled very tough things by herself. She's done it almost all her life. You can't expect her to rely on others all of a sudden; she's not wired liked that. It's a miracle in itself that she told me." He nods in agreement.

"Yea I know, I know, I was too hard on her. You really wasted your time coming to tell me this because I already knew."

"Well at least all _three_ of us are on the same page." I say letting him know that Katniss too thinks he was too hard on her. He looks ashamed again as I say that. So I start to leave. "I'll get Portia so she can continue fancying you up for tonight."

"See you tonight, Haymitch." He says wryly.

The first part of the night was awful at it finest. I don't know why Effie bothered to force me into a monkey suit; it will have some sort of alcohol spilled on it by the time the night is through. Although whether it is me or Chaff who spills it is anyone's guess. I had no choice but to enter the room alone, twenty paces behind Cinna and Portia. I really didn't want to piss Effie off by ignoring her formation and ditching when it came down to it, because that would lead to an even more miserable night.

My thoughts were lightened when I spotted Chaff sitting in a corner, two lovely-sized beers sitting in front of him. I worked my way through the crowd as quickly as I could; I grunted various greetings to anybody who cared to offer me one. I stepped on many toes, luckily there were so many people around that nobody could tell it had been me.

"Now I know you consider me friend enough that one of those beers is for me." I tell Chaff walking up to his spot.

"No I do not. But I wanted to talk to you. And I knew where there was alcohol, not to far away would be one Haymitch Abernathy." He laughs, sliding a drink across the table to me. I garb it and sit in the chair opposite.

"I don't what you think of me. You got me a beer; you're a friend in my books." I laugh, taking a gulp of the beer. "What did you want to talk about?" I have a feeling I know, but one can never be sure especially when is Chaff.

"Well, don't drink too much, because this conversation needs a bit of sobriety."

"The Rebellion." I state.  
>"Yea," He admits taking a swig of his own beer, downing half is mug.<em> Hypocrite<em>. "I'm starting to think that was just an idea you had when you were drunk."

"All my ideas, bad or wonderful, happen when I am drunk," I state, taking another swig of alcohol.

"Very true, but I've told Seeder, she's in. I haven't told Barley yet, god knows he can't keep a secret." He jerked his head toward the other end of the room where Barley, winner of the 64th Hunger Games stood. He was talking animatedly with an official looking woman. He was definitely one of the more sociable and friendly victors.

"Good. Well, on the tour I'm going to be talking to Johanna, Blight and some others from seven."

"I bet Odair will want in on it too," He advises me.

"He's next on my list to talk to, maybe Mags."

"You can't understand Mags." Chaff reminds me with a grin and another gulp of beer, draining his glass.

"That's why we need Finnick. And don't say I don't understand her like I'm the only one. I know for a face that neither you nor Seeder could hold a conversation with her." I clear my glass of beer as Chaff flags down somebody to bring us more drinks "Something Stronger!" He adds as they go to fetch it.

There is a silence in our conversation as the waiters bring our drinks. I would like to tell them to hurry up but that may look suspicious. So I sit there waiting for them to finish pouring the drinks agonizingly slow.

"Anybody else in on it already?" he asks when they leave.

"Plutarch." I say as I grab the whiskey and bring it towards me. I watch as as some of it sloshes over the side and stains the wood grain of the table.

" _Havensbee?" _He asks, looking like I just said Snow himself was joining the revolution. "I don't know about that, Haymitch." He says warily  
>"Why not? It might interest you to know that this is his idea. He's just getting me to talk to you since he knows and you know and everybody knows: that when it comes to things like this, you'd listen to me before you'd listen to him." Across the table, he nods in agreement.<p>

"I think you should add eight to your list. I think they're this close," he holds up two fingers to show me just how close. "To orchestrating their own little uprising." I wave his concern away; I was going to talk to eight anyway.

"But they won't get too far." I tell Chaff taking my first sip of the whiskey.

"And why is that? Do you have some secret weapon hiding out in twelve?" He chuckles; his second drink is already three quarters gone. Sobriety my ass.

"It's not hiding." I point out. This earns me a quizzical look from my drinking partner. I jerk my head to the side and look across the room. Chaff follows my gaze. Across the room, just visible through the throng of people, is Katniss. Peeta stands beside her, their hand intertwined._ Good for them, they made up. And being very star crossed lover-like._ I think on a side note.

"Katniss?" he asks. "She's in too?" He asks.  
>"Yes," I say downing the rest of my drink to keep up with him. "She just doesn't know it."<p>

"Are you sure?" he asks. "She's really only a kid" he reminds me, refilling my glass.

"Katniss is more than just a kid." I tell him, swinging back my glass and downing it in one gulp. "She _is_ rebellion."

The plates clink against each other as they are taken away from the table. With the absence of District Fours finest flatware our group of party-goers disperse and start to mingle. Or gravitate towards Katniss and Peeta, whichever you prefer.  
>"This must hurt, Odair." I say break my way through the crowd towards Finnick and Mags who are having a subdued conversation. "Not being the centre of attention." He gives me a witty smile.<br>"It does." he laughs. Mags mumbles something at Finnick, a reproachful look in her eyes. "You know I'm not serious. Just joking." She waves his comment away and says something else, gesturing towards the doors. " Right to the point then, I see. C'mon, Haymitch, we've got to talk."

Mags turns away then and starts to waddle her way through the crowd, they part easily for the elder woman but, I guess for me and Finnick they don't really care. Or maybe it's just me, since Finnick is considered a God in many minds and I'm just an alcoholic.

When we get to a hallway far from the commotion of annoying partiers Mags says some thing I can just make out, seeing as its only two words.

"I'm in."

"Me too," supplies Finnick. "So is everybody else."

"You weren't supposed to tell anybody other than Annie." I remind him. He just looks at me, is it just me or does he look at tad guilty?

"Well, not _everybody_" He amends, combing his hand through his hair. "I didn't tell Annie." So he completely disregarded what I said. I take a sip of the drink I managed to grab from a passing waiter. Since I've come back to the train completely wasted for the last couple of events Effie's put me on booze control. Sadly, she's doing a better job than I thought she would.  
>I nod my head towards him telling him to continue. He didn't seem to be prepared to continue but he strings some words together that make sense. Partially because I've already heard Peeta say them.<br>"I just don't want her to need to handle these kinds of things"

"I understand." I tell him. And I do, Peeta saying this about Katniss is totally mad. He's nuts if he thinks he can protect her from things like this. He's also mad if she thinks she needs to be protected. But with Annie, I think she does need to be protected. I hear Mags speaking, but seeing as it's a more complicated phrase this time I can't make it out. "She wants to know who else is in." Finnick tells me.

"I'm not one hundred percent sure, some aren't so sure. But we've got eleven, eight, Johanna and some other's from seven. Maybe six, I didn't ask five. And you guys now."

"Three." Mags says.

"Yeah three." I agree with her. " Plutarch is getting some Capitols together." This raises no comment from either of them since they already knew that he was a major piece in this. " I'm going to be talking to Plutarch when I'm in the Capitol-"

"I'll be there too" Finnick informs me.  
>" Appointment?" I ask.<p>

"Appointment." He confirms looking disheartened.

" Well then you can come too." I say, even though that's pretty obvious. Mags tries to tell me something else as I finish my drink and toss the glass into a nearby plant, not interesting in covering up evidence. "I'm sorry, what?" I ask Finnick.

" She says it looks like we've got quite a team." I nod in agreement.

"Yes we do Mags. That we do."

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><p><strong>So if your enjoying and want more review, because Review make me update faster. No lie, so R&amp;R lovely fanfiction readers!<strong>


	4. Chapter 4: A standstill and Wine

**I would just like to say thank you, with the posting of Chapter three my hits were almost quadrupled and I Had many of you add the story to favourites and put on alert . And thank you to Pinklove21, EbunnyLove and micmic022 for the reviews. Now on to the Chapter, this is not my fave chapter be warned. If you think it sucks, don't worry. I think the same thing.**

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><p>Unfortunately the elated screams from the audience are not loud enough to drown out those of one Effie Trinket. When she calms down enough she manages a few words, not that I would have been offended if she hadn't. I would have actually preferred that.<br>" Haymitch! Oh , isn't it romantic?" she sighs, laying a palm against her chest. " They're gettig married! Oh, there's going to be so much to do!" The rest of her speech is drowned out as the cheers swell.  
><em>Yes, a forced engagement. How utterly romantic.<em>  
>She continues her excited babble as my eyes lock on the stage as the snake like man known as President Snow enters the stage. He walks up to the newly engaged couple as if they're old friends. I watch his movements, his facial expressions, anything that might say he's unhappy, because at this point and this proximity his emotions could cause hell if we don't behave like his puppets. The playful banter exchanged on stage makes me want to loose my Capitol -provided lunch. But for those in the Capitol it makes them delirious with joy.<br>In the wings, sitting in a private box is Plutarch Havensbee. His clapping subdued. Being a Gamemaker he realizes that the wedding is a good move for keeping themselves safe but not good when your trying to use the engaged couple as, shall we say, mascots for the rebellion. Most morals dictate that you don't rebel against the person or place that intends to throw you the most lavish nuptials.  
>Sadly, I seem to be the only one with low morals.<p>

_" People know that The Capitol will throw her a wedding to end all weddings. If she goes and rebels against them and tries to bring them down, while they're trying to do something that everybody believes to be an act of compassion towards her. They will hate her and have no interest in being a part of something she represents. So I'm afraid to say we are at an unavoidable standstill" He told this to me this morning when I had informed him of the "surprise" proposal and my idea of ambushing the higher –status Capitol citizens during the wedding or another event of that grandeur. Basically he's saying if you bite the hand that feeds you nobody will like you. My response then is this: then screw them.  
>"Sadly," He informed me. "We can't. We need everybody we can get. We have no room to piss of any potential allies" I smiled at him then, noticing what he may realize later should be of great concern.<br>" you say we have no room to piss any body off, yet I'm part of this team?"  
>" Just don't get too drunk and it will all be okay." he assured me.<br>_

Don't get too drunk? Well you can't bring me to a Capitol party where wine, spirits and many other fancy- shmancy drinks are constantly flowing from fountains and expect me to leave sober. That plus my annoyance that the Rebellion shall need to be pushed back, add in Effie failing miserably tonight on booze control. Instead of monitoring my fermented fruit intake she's busy shmoozing Capitol snobs and accepting the congratulations on the engagement. Not that I mind, I sure don't want to be congratulated on it. And I doubt the other two are too happy about it either.

Not many people take notice of me at the party. For that I am grateful. Occasionally there is a turn of heads in my direction and whispers passed between a group of people. I'd tell them to shut it but, I don't feel like yelling. And I've lost track of how much I've drunk since the party started.

A good chunk of the party has passed, when a woman brushes by my side. When she does many of the creepy surgically enhanced capitol eyes turn towards me. I casually take a sip of my nearly gone drink, trying to ignore them. I feel somebody move to my side. Its then that I realize the stares weren't for me.

"Finnick," I say. "Glad you could come." He nods and wraps his arms over his chest. He keeps glancing at the woman who walked by me earlier. His ears are perked, he's trying to listen in. "I take it that, she was who you had the appointment with?" He nods again.

"By far one of the most annoying though. Such a gossip."

"I though you thought the gossips were profitable?"

"No, the ones with secrets. Good secrets. She just gossips and its pointless gossip at that. She made me watch the interview with her though. Just so you know I won't be offering congratulations."

"Don't worry they don't want them" I say getting up to refill my glass at one of the nearby wine waterfalls.

"They look happy though. But I guess that's only because they need to be."

"I think the boy, deep down, is a little excited." I inform him.

"I believe that," He says grabbing his own glass of wine. "He genuinely loves her. But Katniss…"

"She loves him too. Maybe not as strongly as he does. She doesn't know that she loves him either. All this being forced down her throat is making her impermeable to any feelings of love towards him."

"That was quite the phrase for a man who has had nearly enough alcohol to give anybody normal alcohol poisoning." He informs me. "Maybe you're right. But _I _just don't see it." His gaze travels to where they stand. They're talking quietly when the flurry of colours known as Katniss's Preps comes along. I see Katniss reply to a question they asked her. Her answer must make no sense to their Capitol wired brains because they break out laughing. One of the Preps grabs a glass of clear liquid off the table and hands it to Peeta.

"Oh, no." Sighs Finnick beside me. "I sure hope he doesn't drink that." Its then my mind recalls he drink. I'd picked it up earlier thinking it was a Capitol alcohol. Luckily my dinner wasn't expelled on anybody important. Just one of the waiters. Peeta goes to take a sip and the preps start freaking out. Finnick and I start to laugh when we see them put two and two together.

"The joys of the Capitol, eh?" I say raising my glass in a mock-toast. He nods again and knocks back his drink.

"Look" we had been sipping our drinks in silence until this point. Just watching the party from our spot next to the wine fountains. We could have left but I had been downing by drinks so fast it was pointless.

I looked across the room to where Finnick was indicating. Last time I looked Peeta and Katniss had been dancing in slow circles. Now Peeta and been replaced by Plutarch and dancing had been replaced by standing and looking at Plutarch's watch. Strangely Katniss's face lights up with shock and suspicion when she beholds the pocket watch. "There's a disappearing Mockingjay on it" Finnick says quietly beside me. I turn my head to look at him, my eyebrows raised questioningly. "Appointment payment." he says.  
>God why do I keep bringing the appointments up. I know he doesn't like talking about them.<br>Well I'm drunk, so therefore cannot be held accountable for my actions.  
>"Think she'll realize what he's showing her?" he asks. I shrug. My word will probably come out slurred so I make an effort to enunciate.<br>"Dunno, she could just see it as a watch." Finnick responds by draining his glass and putting on the table behind him.  
>"Speaking of watches. I really should be going, train leaves soon." he tells me.<br>"Alright" I say getting more to drink. "Give Annie and Mags my best." he gives me a wave and starts to move through the crowd. When he's blocked from my site I'm left with just my drink and an unlimited supply of alcohol behind me.  
>Not that I'm complaining.<p>

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><p><strong>Well if you've read this far I say thank you it means a lot. If you wouldn't mind taking a minute of your time to boost my self confidence by reviewing it would be wonderful. <strong>

**R&R peeps **

**PS: I just noticed i forgot to put a disclaimer at the top of the chapter so- I DON"T OWN THE HUNGER GAMES**


	5. Chapter 5: Paternal Figure

**This is a **_**really**_** short Chapter. Also this chapter could be considered pointless in some minds, but it was nagging at me and I felt I had to write it. It's Effie asking Haymitch to give Katniss away at the wedding and his thoughts on that. So if you want to see the softer side of him read on. If not you can just skip this chapter**

**I would like to thank God1801, ManikaMinaaj and Emma Kellog for reviewing chapter four **

**Disclaimer: I don't own The Hunger Games *sigh***

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><p>"What about Cinna?" I ask. When the phone rang I had expected it to be Paisley, a victor from eight, calling with new details about the Uprising that was happening in her district. Instead it had been Effie, bringing unwanted details and concerns about the wedding. And after ruling out Katniss's mother ("it's traditionally a male, Haymitch.") She was now harping on me.<br>"Cinna is already designing the dress. He has enough to do. You on the other hand-"  
>" So you want me to give Katniss away because I have nothing else to do?" I ask her, trying to figure out where this phone call is going.<br>" No Haymitch, it's because of your relationship with Katniss, with the_ bride_" I don't respond, waiting for Effie to continue, since I'm sure she has a list of ways to get me to comply. And I want to hear them. Instead she surprises me by saying  
>"Fine then," she must have taken my silence as a no. "I can get Mr. Hawthorne to do it."<br>I hold back the guffaw that bubbles up into my mouth. Effie believes that Gale is, in fact, Katniss's cousin and not as I know, a hormonal teenage boy who happens to be in love with her. Gale won't let Katniss go without a fight. Giving her away at her wedding to another guy? That would be loosing, then having your failure rubbed in your face and publicized.  
>"He can't" I say into the receiver.<br>"Well, why not?" She asks. I bring my hand up to eye-level and rub the bridge of my nose. I'm not in the mood for this.  
>"He's one of the groomsmen." I lie easily, reaching for a half full bottle of white liquor. I make a side note to inform Peeta that the man who is attempting to woo his fiancée is now in his wedding party.<br>"Are you sure you won't do it?" Effie says from somewhere in the Capitol. "You are a paternal figure in her life all things considered." She's softened up, trying to pull at my heart strings.  
>" Well, I never said no" where did that come from? Jesus, this liquor is working fast...<br>"Really?" she says. I can picture her sitting up straighter now, clipboard and pencil poised to plan the rest of my life based on this decision. "You'll do it?"  
>"The sooner the better" I assure her, and I mean it. I've tried to get Plutarch to abandon his "don't bite the hand that feeds you" mantra but he insists; nothing until after the wedding. So the quicker this whole development resolves itself the better.<br>" Oh wonderful Haymitch!" she exclaims. "She will be delighted!"  
>"Mhmm, she'll be almost as excited as when Peeta proposed." I say, words dripping with sarcasm. She doesn't catch onto it though, since she believes that the engagement is based purely on love. She starts to say something but I cut her off," Bye, Trinket," I say cheerfully, plopping the phone down before she can talk to me about colour schemes or corsages.<br>I toss the now empty bottle into the abyss that is my house. Thinking about the conversation I just exited. _Paternal figure_? Where did that come from? I didn't even think the Capitol mind could process the words, let alone apply them to something.  
>That must mean she was serious.<br>Oh, Lord.  
>I made a promise to myself a while ago, no emotional attachments to anybody. That will get you hurt in the long run. But it seems I have failed, since Effie believes that I play a father like role in her life. That must mean she has <em>something <em>to base it on. Maybe she's just making assumptions that are based on the I'm- your- mentor -listen- to- what- I- say relationship. Hopefully she is.

But here's the strangest thing I've noticed: I don't mind being considered a "paternal figure". Is that nuts? Heck, you manage to save them from being maimed and slaughtered in an arena you grow attached. That's just how it works. And I think that's how it will work. I've worked too hard to keep Katniss and Peeta alive and well, and damn anybody who thinks I'm going to let them die without a fight. I guess that's how parents feel right? Gah, what am I saying?

I sift through the debris on the floor; working my way to the fridge. These kinds of thoughts are too heavy for a nearly-sober mind. When I get there I grab the first drink I see that contains alcohol. I open it and take a sip, looking out the window that sits over my grimy sink.

I don't know how my ears managed to pick up the sound, unless your really listening for it you won't hear it. But the truth of the matter is that I have been listening for the sound for years worrying about when I'd finally hear it again and who the poor soul was who it was happening to.

Because floating through the cracks in my window I can hear the unmistakeable sound of the whip as it cracks against its target.

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><p><strong>Well, we all know ho the victim is. And if you've read this far then you can guess what the next chapter will be about <strong>

**REVIEW PLEASE!**


	6. Chapter 6: The Whipping

**I found this quote that a website used to describe Haymitch, I read it and I was like whoa… because they really just summed him up in less than 50 words. So I felt like I should share it with you all. "He's a big, wounded Falstaffian antihero, a guy who used to have ideals until years of oppression and heartbreak sent him spiralling into the bottom of a whiskey bottle."  
>TOM BURNS<br>**_**Staff Writer  
><strong>_  
><strong> Disclaimer (that I nearly forgot to write): I don't own the Hunger Games<strong>

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><p>"Hold it!" I yell, breaking through the final layer of the crowd. I step out into the circle with Peeta on my heels. I look at Katniss kneeling by an unconscious Gale. <em>Its just one thing after another with you, sweetheart, isn't it?<em> I think. I trip when my foot gets caught on something heavy and still on the ground. I turn my head to the side slightly. It's Darius. On his head is a nasty looking welt, probably caused by the butt of the whip. _Stupid man, what was he thinking!_He probably tried to stop the whipping. Which is something when started, can't be taken back.

I stride up to Katniss grabbing her chin in my fingers and hoist her off the ground. I lift her chin a little higher to get a better look at the injury the whip left on her cheek. The line on her cheek is growing puffier by the second; it won't be ready for next week. "Oh, excellent. She's got a photo shoot next week modeling wedding dresses. What am I supposed to tell her stylist?" What am I going to tell Plutarch? Photo shoot gets pushed back so the wedding will be pushed back. So any act of rebellion will need to be pushed back.

Great, just _great_.

"She interrupted the punishment of a confessed criminal" informs the peacekeeper. I can tell by his voice and stance that he's the new head. There's no doubt about it. Sure, Cray sucked. But he would have never subjected anybody to a whipping, if he was still head, we wouldn't be here right now.

"I don't care I'd she blew up the blasted Justice Building!" And I really don't. In fact, I'd be pretty impressed if she had, that would be quite the feat. "Look at her cheek! Think that will be camera ready in a week?" The peacekeeper starts to waver a bit with my comment.  
>" That's not my problem" He informs me. That was a pathetic response. Still, I'll go with it.<p>

"No? Well it's about to be, my friend. The first call I make when I get home is to the Capitol. Find out who authorized you to mess up my victor's pretty little face." I don't add in the extra threat of bringing in the Preps to see what he's done. I don't hate anybody _that_ much.  
>" He was poaching. What business is it of hers anyway?" Is this guy really that stupid? He has no idea who he's even subjected to the whipping. I'm about to tell him using some very colourful language that it's entirely her business. The Peeta breaks into the confrontation, probably saving me from saying something I may regret.<br>" He's her cousin and she's my fiancée. So if you want to get to him expect to go through the both of us" Its then that the Peacekeeper realizes just who he's injured. His eyes travel to Katniss, her hair held up in a cap and mud all over her face. She doesn't really look like a victor right now. Peeta, on the other hand, would be pretty hard to not mistake for one of the dual victors. And it's for that reason that the Head finds this response valid.

Quickly backing him up, the rest of the witness' pipe up telling the peacekeeper that what he has done is not protocol for here. With the voices of the people all shouting against him he relents.

When he's gone Katniss rushes over to the post. When she's released his hands from the rope he slumps over onto the ground.

"Better get him to your mother" I tell her. It's a good thing that people are nice. One of the vendors sells us her table top to use as a stretcher. God knows we couldn't have gotten him back to the Victor's village without it.

We mange to get the still unconscious body off the blood encrusted floor and onto the slightly more sterile board. I grab on to one part of it, while Peeta being the gentleman that he is grabs another. We're also accompanied by some of Hawthorns miner buddies. When we feel that the guy is stable between us we begin to walk through the snow, Katniss trailing behind us.

Its amazing how this one event brings back so many memories. Mostly unpleasant seeing as a lot of my buddies were the ones at the whipping post. We weren't the most behaved teenagers of District 12. Let's just leave it at that.

About three quarters of the way back to her house I remember that Katniss also got a nasty bite from the whip. Turning slightly so I can see her yet still hold the board-stretcher I tell her to put snow on her cheek. I can tell the pain diminishes by the look on her face after the snow comes in contact with her cheek. She's damn lucky it's not the middle of August.

When we unload in the Everdeen's kitchen I stretch my arms and tell Katniss's mom what brought about this new procedure.

"New head" I tell her. I don't even bother telling her his name (which I now know to be Romulus Thread, courtesy of the miners who helped carry Gale.) She doesn't need any more information then that before she sets to work with Prim. Before she gets too deep into her work she looks at her daughters face.

"Did it cut your eye?" She asks.

"No it's just swelled shut" She informs her mother.

"Get more snow on it." Is her diagnosis for her daughter, who is clearly not the priority even though they are related by blood.  
>" Can you save him?" Katniss asks, she's clearly not her top priority either. Mayanne Everdeen is too far gone into her work now and doesn't answer. So I answer for her.<br>"Don't worry," I assure her. "Used to be a lot of whipping before Cray. She's the one we took them to" I say nodding towards her mother. She looks pensive for a while then once she sees her mother cleaning the wounds that crisscross Gale's back she looks a little green.  
>Peeta manages to get her mind to stop focusing on the lashes when he walks her to a chair and places a snow-filled cloth on her cheek. Beside me Bristel and Thom are just leaning against the counter, obviously feeling like they don't belong and given their complexions, a little nauseous.<br>"You guys should get home," I advise. "Don't want to get into any trouble for being out late." They nod and get off from the counter, making to leave but not before I fish some coins out of my pocket and press them into their palms.  
>"Don't know what will happen to your crew" suddenly I'm worried that they're the type of people offended by charity, but they take the money gratefully.<br>Not too long after they leave their presence is replaced by Gale's mother, Hazelle. Quietly without acknowledging any of us she sits down on the stool beside her son and grips his hand while Mayanne clears away more blood and shredded skin.  
>It takes a long time, to say the least. And each time another bit of skin or drop of blood is cleared the outlines of the lashes become more and more distinguishable. Let me tell you, those cuts look like they hurt like hell. When a moan escapes the lips of the bandaged boy on the table, Prim and her mother go to their stock of pain medication. When they finally decide on an herbal thing he can swallow himself Katniss isn't pleased.<br>"That won't be enough" She states, her mother is staring at her along with Prim and Peeta. Also myself, you don't question the doctor, especially when she's your mother. "That won't be enough, I know how it feels. That will barely knock out a headache" she insists.  
>" We'll combine it with sleep syrup, Katniss, and he'll manage it." She assures her daughter with the I- don't- have- time- for -this calm. "The herbs are more for the inflammation-" But Katniss won't have it.<br>"Just give him the medicine! Give it to him! Who are you anyway, to decide how much pain he can stand!" at the shrill sound of her distress Gale begins to stir on the table, the movement making his back start to bleed again.  
>"Take her out." Is all that Mayanne says.<p>

Now in almost any other situation this would have been considered hilarious. Me, with Katniss flung over my shoulder and Peeta, holding her legs so to minimize the chances of me getting a broken rib by a well placed kick. All the while, a steady steam of things you should never call your mother are coming from Katniss's mouth. When we pin her down on the bed she struggles some more. I hold her legs down this time. While Peeta is up by her head trying to calm her down. When he realizes it's not that simple he turns to me.  
>" She wants to run away. She wants all of us to run away. Her family, Gales family, you and me as well. She doesn't want Snow to get another chance to hurt us. I think this is all a by-product of the issues in eight"<br>Bad move girl, Bad move. One because we need you for the rebellion and two: if you ran away Snow could easily lie and say he captured and killed you.  
>And just like<em> that<em> this would all be over.  
>Of course I can't say any of this out loud. Not when Katniss is in the state she's in. Peeta would probably get mad that I didn't tell him and that I'm planning on getting them to be icons for rebellion. But you know what I say to that? Oh well, life doesn't always work out like you want it to.<br>And as we've learned today, that is very true.

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><p><strong>I promise from here on out this story will get more exciting. Trust me; the card reading is coming in like, the next chapter or the one after. Then it's full on rebellion and Quarter Quell planning. But as a side note: If there are any events in Catching Fire that I passed over (or will pass over) just let me know if you want them and I can slip them in where they belong.<strong>

**_Review if you please it would mean a lot_ **


	7. Chapter 7:Trouble

**Hello again! I know its been a little longer than usual so if you hvae been annoyed by the lack of updates I do apologize. Just want to thank you who have Favourited and revieweed. ( No names you know who you are :)) Cause i really appreciate it. It lightens up my day. Just to warn you there's an f-bomb. Hope nobody's offeneded.**

**I don't own the Hunger Games:(**

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><p>The sad thing was, I didn't even have the decency not to laugh. As so, as the words: <em>I want to start an uprising<em> left her mouth, I had a very hard time not to collapse to the icy ground in a fit of giggles. An uprising? Here, in district twelve? With our tiny and underfed population? Now three, four and eight had a shot since they had a sizably larger population but what Katniss was suggesting was not an uprising. It was group suicide.

"Well, I want a drink." I inform her. "You let me know how that works out for you though." I tell her, earning me one of her infamous scowls.

"Then what's your plan?" She asks, as if this whole time I've been holed up in my dirty old house making my own little rebellion spreadsheet.

"My plan is to make sure everything is just perfect for your wedding." _ So we can just get it over with_ I add as an after thought." I called and rescheduled the photo shoot without giving too many details." Well that's a flat out lie, I told Cinna. Let me just say: If he hadn't already been part of this rebellion he would have jumped on board then without a second thought.

"You don't even have a phone." She counters, getting testy. I look over at the boy standing awkwardly to the side of this argument. Hands stuffed into his pockets.

"Effie had that fixed" I say, trying to divert the conversation. "Do you know she asked me of I'd like to give you away? I said the sooner the better." I got the response it thought I might, a trademark Katniss glare.

" Haymitch!" her words a creeping towards whiney-children status.

" Katniss!" I say, mimicking her tone to piss her off. "It won't work." And that's all I have to say on the subject.

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><p>Katniss seems to be making it as hard as possible for me to keep her out of trouble. When the Peacekeepers showed up at my door two phrases went through my mind. The first was " What did I do?" the second was a more accurate "What did Ms. Everdeen do now?" instead I settled for a more appropriate "Hello"<br>Upon my seemingly content greeting I was informed that my troublesome Victor has been AWOL for a good percentage of the day. _Shit... If she's run away_ I thought. _She won't need to worry about Snow killing her. I may get to her first.  
><em>I had then been invited/told by the Peacekeepers to go and make myself comfortable in the Everdeen's home. When I got there I saw that Peeta had been corralled in there too. That had lessened my fear that she may have run away. Sure she may have left me, but not Peeta. But still, there's some major concern running through my head.  
>So, many stressful hours later, full of fake friendliness, chess games between me and Peeta and stressed glances afforded when we though the Peacekeepers wouldn't catch them in she comes.<br>Her neutral tones mixed in with her mothers and the Peacekeepers waft through the air to where Prim, Peeta and I sit by the fire. Given the absence of the Peacekeepers we allow ourselves the luxury of a relieved sigh.  
>"Easier to ask where I haven't been," is the first full sentence that reaches my ears. We turn our heads at her appearance, the slight limp in her foot evident at first sight. Well, for me at least the Peacekeepers seem too dense to really see it.<p>

"So where haven't you been?" I decide to ask when nobody else does.  
>" Well, I haven't been talking to Goat Man about getting Prim's goat pregnant, because someone gave me completely inaccurate information as to where he lives." She puts a lot of emphasis on the last part of her statement. To the peacekeepers it would just be taken as an accusing tone. But I know and everybody else knows its actually telling us to play along.<p>

" No I didn't. I told you exactly" Prim challenges.

"You said he lives beside the west entrance to the mine." Katniss insists, keeping up the show.

"The east entrance." Her sister tells her patiently.

"You distinctly said the west, because then I said, 'Next to the slag heap?' and you said, 'Yeah'." She says.

" The slag heap next to the east entrance." I have to admire Prim now, not only is she keeping up the pretence very well, but at the same time making Katniss look like an idiot.

" No. when did you say that?"

" Last night." I say, deciding I want to be in on this previously A and B conversation.

"" It was definitely the east." Pipes up Peeta from his seat across from me. He lifts his head up to look at me over the chess board and for some reason I just laugh. The hilarity in this should-be problem is making me slightly tipsy. Katniss shoots her _"oh so supportive" _fiancé a glare and he softens up. " I'm sorry, but it's what I've been saying. You don't listen when people talk to you."

"Bet people told you he didn't live there today and you didn't listen again." I predict. My only response is a "shut up, Haymitch." Which clearly indicates I am right. I start laughing again and Peeta joins in along with Prim who just cracks a smile.

" Fine." She says in defeat. "Somebody else can arrange to get the stupid goat knocked up." I just laugh more since I know it will get on her nerves. It may also get the peacekeepers to leave if they see that this is really no big deal.

"What's in the bag?" asks the Peacekeeper. This stops the laughs right away let me tell you. I can only hope she didn't get any game. If she does, well to put it nicely: We are screwed.

"See for yourself." She tells them. Now this is either an insanely stupid thing to do or she really has nothing there. I'm praying to whoever is up there that is there is anything that could get us penalized in that bag it will magically disappear before the Peacekeeper can get a good look at it.

"Oh good." Exclaims Mayanne when she gets a look at the contents of her daughter's bag. "We're running low on bandages." Across from me, Peeta rises from his chair to check out the bag. His eyes light up when they land on a bad of candy.

"Ooh, peppermints." He cheers snatching the candy from Katniss's sack.

"They're mine." She declares as she makes to grab for them. Quickly, the sweets are tossed in my direction. Before she can get over here and steal them away I stuff a handful in my mouth and pass it to Prim. All the made-up hilarity has reduced the twelve year old to giggles. " None of you deserves candly."

"What, because we're right?" Peeta asks, wrapping his arms around her . When he pulls her towards him she yelps as her lower back come into contact with his front. My eyebrows knit together slightly, _is she really hurt _again? She manages to cover it nicely, passing it off as a playful squeal. "Okay, Prim said west." he tells his fiancé. "I distinctly heard west. And we're all idiots" Now he's laying it on pretty thick. "How's that?"  
>"Better." she tells him, accepting his kiss. "You have a message for me?" she reminds the Peacekeepers from her spot in Peeta's arms.<br>" From Head Peacekeeper Thread." Ew, just hearing the name makes bile rise in my throat. " He wanted to let you know that the fence surrounding District Twelve will now have electricity twenty-four hours a day."  
>" Didn't it already?" inwardly I scoff. That was way too innocent to be sincere.<br>"He thought you might be interested in passing the information on to your cousin."  
>"Thank you. I'll tell him. I'm sure we'll all sleep a little more soundly now that security has addressed that lapse." I hold my breath. That was one statement too far in my opinion. To my surprise the two Peacekeepers say nothing, the woman only clenches her jaw then they leave without incident. When the door shut behind them our pseudo- cheerfulness is distinguished and Mayanne and Peeta evaluate Katniss's injuries. In my chair I let out a relived sigh.<p>

Major crisis diverted.

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><p>Little did I know an even bigger crisis was headed our way.<p>

The collision of the glass bottle with my television was messy and loud. The shattered pieces of glass combined with the unfinished alcohol slid in little rivers down my unaltered screen. The liquid distorting the colours of Presidents Snows face as he smiled wickedly after announcing the twist for this years Quarter Quell. I didn't know what was happening across the street where I knew my two protégés were in taking the same news. I had no idea what they were thinking. But I knew what I was thinking. It was two simple words:

Fuck. You.

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><p><strong> Well from here on out it gets a bit more entertaining. Fun fun fun!<strong>

**Has everybody seen the clip of Katniss shooting the apple out of the pigs mouth in her private session yet? Lionsgate just released it, Ithought it was kinda cool... still not certain about the movie though.**

**Review Please and Thank yee!**


	8. Chapter 8: Choosing

**Don't have much to say for this so, I'll just do the disclaimer: I DON'T OWN THE HUNGER GAMES**

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><p>I don't even get a chance to down anymore alcohol after I tossed my other at the screen. I'd been half way to my fridge when the knock sounded on my door.<br>"What the hell do you want?" I demand not caring if it's Effie or a peacekeeper ready to abduct me and send me off to the Capitol.  
>"We need to talk."<br>"Should of known you were coming, Boy." I tell him opening the door to let him in. When he goes to step forward I turn around, leaving him the responsibility to close the door.  
>"You owe me." he says as I slump onto the couch. He's standing in the doorway to my living area, arms crossed in determination.<br>"You want me in the arena then? That will save you from being hacked to bits in an arena. I didn't think you'd ask me to do this, thought you'd be here begging to go back in." I tell him.  
>" That <em>is<em> why I'm here. I'm going in, because no offence, but when it comes down to it: I can protect her better than you can." That doesn't offend me in the least, I know it's true.  
>"I was going to keep her alive last time." I point out.<br>" So you owe me." he tells me, sitting down on the couch next to me. "You owe it to me to do this." There's a pause in the conversation then and I decide to fill it.  
>" So I owe you," I tell him, trying to figure out his argument. "and I can repay you by <em>letting<em> you go back into the arena so you can save the girl you love." he runs his hands through his hair then places his head in his hands.  
>" I know it's bizarre."<br>"It's mentally unstable." I correct him.  
>"But I just want her safe." he tells me, turning his head to look at me. "And if she's gone you know very well that I'd soon follow. Don't think you'll be able to get the two of us out again, that was a one time deal." I look at him, a boy in love willing to do anything, anytime, anyplace to keep Katniss alive. Yet, I can't seem to let him do this.<br>"Peeta," I sigh, leaning towards him. In a strange burst of sensitivity I clap my hand over his shoulder and give it a squeeze. "I don't..."  
>"Please." He begs. The words are right there. Right on the tip of my toung. His hopelessness, his need, his love projected in that one word enough to make me say the words. But I don't. I don't utter the words that would condemn him to death. I don't tell him that I support his decision to die. He's too good of a person to die. And we need him alive and well.<br>" You're a good guy Peeta and-" that was me telling him that I wasn't going to let him die; I was going to tell him that we need him. But he took that as me saying "Sure, go ahead and die."  
>" Thank you Haymitch." He doesn't even give me time to tell him that's not what I meant. He just gets up from the couch and walks off. Accepting the fact that we seem to have a mutual agreement on his death. I watch him as he walks down through the hall and out my front door. When the door shuts I hear the sounds of him calling out for Katniss, she must have gone running after the card reading.<p>

Well, that gives me time for a drink.  
>Too much time actually.<p>

By the time Katniss finally arrives I'm so drunk that any request would probably be agreed to, no matter how stupid it was.  
>"Ah, there she is," I say when she appears in front of my kitchen table. Standing there cold, exhausted and with a bleeding hand. "All tuckered out. Finally did the math, did you, sweetheart?" I slur tossing my knife that migrated to my hand while I was drinking to the side. "Worked out you won't be going in alone? And now you're here to ask me ... what?" I'm honestly curious there is nothing purposely mocking in that question. I'm a little agitated when she doesn't respond. "I'll admit," I continue. "It was easier for the boy. He was here before I could snap the seal on a bottle. Begging for another chance to go in. But what can you say?" still she doesn't respond, I start again mimicking her voice "'take his place, Haymitch, because all things being equal, I'd rather Peeta had a crack at the rest of his life than you?'" This is not what I expect her to say, but it's my reasoning for going into the games instead of him. She just stands there contemplating the reasoning I came up with while I was downing several bottles of liquor.<br>"I came for a drink," she finally says. No sarcasm no irony just I want a drink like "I want the orange shirt." the directness of the statements seems funny to me in my intoxicated state and I burst out laughing. I put my drink down in front of her. She wipes the rim and takes a couple big gulps, she ends up spluttering but in the end she decides to talk about the subject at hand.  
>"Maybe it should be you," she says pulling out a chair and settling into it. " You hate life, anyway."<br>" Very True," I inform her." and since last time I tried to keep you alive... Seems like I'm obligated to save the boy this time." she nods and takes another sip of my drink.  
>" That's another good point."<br>"Peeta's argument" I decide to tell her "is that since I chose you, I now owe him. Anything he wants. And what he wants is the chance to go in again to protect you." At my information, something a whole lot worse than guilt crosses her face.  
>" You could live a hundred lifetimes and not deserve him, you know." I say pointing out the obvious.<br>"Yeah, yeah," she says obviously agreeing with me. "No question, he's the superior one in this trio. So what are you going to do?" it's an inevitable question. But she wants an answer. But I don't want to have to choose. But if I had to...  
>"I don't know. Go back in with you maybe, if I can. If my names drawn at the reaping, it won't matter. He'll just volunteer to take my place." there are so many variables in this situation. After I say this we just sit there quietly for a moment until she asks another awful question.<br>"It'd be bad for you in the arena wouldn't it? Knowing all the others?" Suddenly I'm bombarded with mental images of victors- ones that I call my friends- being torn to bits in the arena.  
>"Oh, I think we can count on it being unbearable wherever I am." while I say this I don't see Katniss, I see Chaff, Finnick, poor old Mags even Johanna being sliced diced and torn apart by mutts and blank-faced people. The sight of the gore makes bile rise in my churning stomach. "Can I have that back now?" I ask of Katniss, gesturing to the drink she holds prisoner in her grasp.<br>" No." with that she wraps her arms around the drink, which I now guess is hers. Reaching under the table to the stash I placed there so I wouldn't need to get up. I grab a full bottle and twist the cap off. When I take my first gulp she pipes up with her request. "Okay, I figured out what I'm asking." she tells me, I brace myself, knowing what will come. "If it is Peeta and me in the Games, this time we try to keep him alive." the images of my friends are quickly replaced by one which seems more frightening then the others.  
>I see Katniss, lying prone and pale on the ground. Claw marks running up and down her body. Maimed flesh lining the gashes that in turn display sliced muscle and tissue and in places so deep I see bone. Her left arm is lying at an angle where there is no way it couldn't be broken. Her ankle, too, twisted to an unnatural angle. She lies in a pool of blood, her blood, which flows from the gashes on her body. The skin left virtually unharmed is white. White and lifeless. In her temple is an arrow. Imbedded half way up to the feathers. That's the worse to see. Her greatest asset turned into her downfall. From my vantage point I can tell her eyes are open. They just stare ahead, unblinking, unseeing, cold, empty<br>and dead.  
>Just like the rest of her.<br>" Like you said," she says bringing me back to reality. "It's going to be bad no matter which way you slice it." Bad word choice, the word _slice_ brings the images of her maimed body back to the forefront of my mind. "And whatever Peeta wants, it's his turn to be saved. We both owe him that." She's pleading with me now, begging for a chance to save the boy who saved her. I just stare into the abyss of my drink. Trying to avoid giving her an answer." Besides, the Capitol hates me so much, I'm good as dead now."  
><em>But you'd be no good dead<em>, I want to say but for some reason the alcohol won't let me speak up right now. "He might still have a chance. Please Haymitch." She says quietly. "Help me."  
>In those two words I see that I'm a goner. Katniss, seemingly stubborn and selfish is here begging me to help her die. She wants to do this, in all the times I've wanted her to prove to me she cares about the boy she chooses now to be the most convincing.<br>" All right." I say finally. _Thanks_, is all she says before she leaves me alone with my drink and my visions.

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><p><strong>This Chapter was really depressing to say the least. I am actually very pleased with the ending though, when he was talking to Katniss. But maybe that's just because I wrote it…<strong>

**Review with opinions please!**


	9. Chapter 9: Author's Note

Sorry if you thought this was a new chapter! I'm writing the next one right now, it shall be up this weekend promise! Then I have spring break next week so expect some more then.

But I have a favour to ask of all of you: Submit / Victors Mentors (or if you wouldn't mind coming up with identities for the unnamed characters in the Quarter Quell) and Stylists for me please? So it's kind of a SYOT but not really.

Here's what I need: Name:

Stylist or victor/mentor?

From/ for what district:

If victor/mentor what games:

Appearance:

Personality:

Support the rebellion or no?

Any other important details i.e. background, upbringing, parents, relationships etc.:

That's it! So review of PM with people to make me happy please!


	10. Chapter 10: Planning

**See? I said I would have a new chapter up this weekend and I did! This one shall soon be followed by another unless something happens to greatly decrease my will to write this story for you wonderful people. Thank you to: ****SilensFlos, booklvr90 and Pinklove21 for submitting characters who shall have an appearance as early as the next chapter.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Hunger Games **

With my alcohol being withheld by the other male victor of district twelve, I had a void to fill. During daylight hours we trained like careers. And it was awful. You'd think that since I sleep with a knife in my hand I could hit a target. But no, Katniss and Peeta are the ones who actually show results after a tedious day of training, not me. I'm more of an " I'm suddenly awesome is the heat of the moment" kind of guy. But training doesn't last all day and drinking was my night time activity. So I've taken up a new hobby: talking on the phone. Fortunately at this point there's a lot to talk about.  
>I'd called Chaff first, just to ask about what was going on in his district (better than we'd hoped) that was a sensitive topic so that discussion ended quickly. It wasn't until after a rather uncomfortable pause that he said this:<br>" So the wedding's off." that one caught me by surprise. I'd been put off that the wedding was putting any rebellious acts in a standstill. Now here's the roadblock gone and I didn't even notice. "Is anybody particularly upset?"  
>"Probably Effie." I tell him and I was right. I'd quickly dismissed myself from our conversation at that point; I needed to know what Plutarch had come up with. And if he hadn't? Well I'd make up my own damn plan. But before I could dial the numbers Effie called and informed me on how unfair it was. I couldn't tell if she was more upset about her hard work going to waste or the fact that the Capitol went back on their word. Trust is a big thing with Effie, so I'd like think it was the later that reduced her to tears right before I hung up on her.<br>Before she could call again and harp on me about "telephone etiquette" I called Plutarch.  
>"Plutarch Havensbee, head Gamemaker for the 3rd quarter Quell" said a tired voiced. It seemed he'd had a very long day.<br>"Haymitch Abernathy, the usually drunk victor of the 2nd Quarter Quell." I mock from my spot by the phone.  
>" Well hello Haymitch." he says, his tone lightening considerably.<br>" The wedding's off." I tell him bluntly.  
>" I know, I was surprised you hadn't called sooner. Been preoccupied?"<br>" You could say that." I tell him, thinking of all the times I've tried and failed to impale something with a knife. "Where to now?" I ask, not keen on beating around the bush.  
>" That's what Beetee's figuring out." he informs me casually. I hear the squeak of his chair as he leans back.<br>"So an explosion of some sort?" I ask wearily. I don't tell him that I don't believe Beetee to be the best choice to orchestrate a rebellion.  
>"I think so. He contacted me earlier. Unfortunately I couldn't devote my full attention to it-I've had quite a few complaints to this years twist. But it involves the Games and your friend the force field."<br>" He wants to blow up the force field?" I asked. I hear a knock on the other end then Plutarch's voice whispering  
>"I need to go" click, then nothing.<br>Now I'm pissed. And I now possess more questions than answers. I'd call Beetee but it's easier to her a diluted version on his plans from somebody else. Less complicated, easier to follow. But I'd rather complicated a explication than none at all. 

It's been a while since then. I've tried to contact Plutarch. But he's always been busy. I guess when you're heading a rebellion and organizing the Quarter Quell things can pile up. The only thing I've heard from him is that what he's always doing is a major piece in this and fits in with Beetee's plan. Which I'm still in the dark about.  
>" I know probably less than you do." Finnick told me in a brief conversation the night after Plutarch informed me of the mysterious plan."Don't even try to ask Johanna, she's still too busy yelling at Peacekeepers to know anything." that closed off nearly all avenues of knowledge for me. I had called Seeder-who was more likely to know when compared to Chaff- but she was no help. I don't get along well enough with one or two so they were out. And I've tried anybody else who would answer their phone. But still nothing.<br>When I finally had the chance to figure out the who plan I almost missed it. I had been asleep, more like passed out on the couch actually, when the phone started to ring. It took me a couple of rings to really recognize what the noise was but when I did I was up very fast.  
>" Hello?" I questioned, wondering if my waking up and trip from the couch was worth it.<br>" Haymitch, good. We have a plan." he paused then, waiting for me to respond. Why can't he just tell me?  
>" What's the plan then?"<br>"Beetee has figured out how to over ride the force field. And he's assured me that he can do it."  
>"And this helps how?" I ask, not seeing any real gain.<br>"We can get the tributes out. We can Rescue as many as we can and not only will that smart of rebellion we save lives that may have been otherwise lost." I'm silenced, but not from shock. I'm just thinking of how this changes things. That awful agreement I made with Katniss the night of the card reading doesn't matter now. We can get her out, we can get Peeta out. We can get anybody part of this that is still alive out.  
>"What if there's nobody left to save?" I ask revealing a fear he must be hiding.<br>"Then we've failed. But Beetee's volunteering to go in if he isn't chosen to make sure that he does it before everybody is...gone." He avoided the use of "dead" even though he's running the games; there are still people he cares about being put at risk. And he doesn't want to acknowledge that what could be considered his crowing achievement is hurting so many people including him. "But I'm not going to play dirty tricks this year, I've forbade it of anybody. That can minimize the danger to some degree but I really cannot guarantee anything."  
>"I know, it's just" I'm struggling to word this phrase. "I've kind of made a deal with Katniss that together we'll bring Peeta home if he goes in the games… At any cost." he didn't give an exasperated sigh or ask "why did you do a stupid thing like that?" in response to the fact that I basically agreed to our mascots death.<br>Instead it's  
>"Then we must make sure there is no reason to make rash decisions. Protect Peeta to protect The Mockingjay."<br>"Mockingjay?" I ask not comprehending the context it was used in.  
>"It's a tad more impressive than the mascot or representative." he explains and I realize he's talking about Katniss. Inwardly I laugh at the comparison. Starting of as Jabberjays, something they needed and wanted then turned into a Mockingjay. Something they never wanted to exist and ended up effecting everybody. How suitable.<br>"And how? I don't think it's possible for those two to go under the radar and avoid being targeted."  
>"No, but you can intercept attacks." he tells me. My mouth is suddenly agape. I thought <em>I<em> had low morals.  
>"You want people to sacrifice themselves?" I ask, questioning his sanity.<br>"People already do that." He informs me. "Everyday people are dying fighting against the Capitol. That man in eleven supported Katniss. Victors support Katniss."  
>"How?"<br>"You don't think victors were interrogated after they talked to her? Nearly everybody was. Nobody said anything. And they knew the stakes were high if they were suspected to be lying. They want a rebellion as much as she does and they'll do anything to get it." This is enough evidence for me.  
>"So we only need to make it official?"<br>"Right. Then once everybody's been rescued we head to Thirteen." now, here's the point where I greatly question his sanity.  
>"Thirteen? Thirteen's been gone for ages." I inform him. I'm metaphorically crossing my fingers, hoping that this won't be a recap of the conversation I had with Katniss on the same subject.<br>"Thirteen's been _rebuilding_ for years." he corrects me. I want to say something but he continues before I can object to anything. "That's what I've been doing this whole time. Communicating with their officials. I was finally able to talk to Alma Coin, their President only last night. She said it was high time we stood up for ourselves and they'd be happy to house us and let us combine with their forces." he stops then, seeing it as a sufficient explanation.  
>" Forces?" I ask. " They have an army."<br>" Yes of course," he says as if it's completely plausible that a district which is supposed to be extinct has an army. "The whole districts underground to prevent damage from the possible bomb threat or natural disaster." he informs me. The pieces are starting to fit together a little better now. But I'm still not convinced.  
>"How do I know you're not pulling my leg?" I ask sceptically.<br>"You're going to have to trust me." I laugh. Then turn serious again.  
>" At this point trust is something hard to come by. We always need to be on our toes or else we find ourselves waist high in shit."<p>

Plutarch chuckles."Wise words, Haymitch, wise words."

Even though I was aware that we would probably be getting both of our tributes- whoever they were- out of the arena. I still was not too supportive of Peeta's plan to protect Katniss by going into the games. So when my name was drawn by Effie's manicured hand I only had the time to groan before Peeta volunteered and made his way to the stage.  
>It was like last year, except for one key difference. Those tributes up on the stage? This time I was genuinely scared for them.<p>

**So, the Reaping's done now we're on to the Games! **

**Now remember if you want to submit somebody: times running out I need them ASAP so I can fit them into the plot.**

**Review please!**


	11. Chapter 11:Problems and Solutions

**Hello guys! So new chapter up as you can tell! I have quotes directly from Catching Fire in here and I don't have any ownership over them. I don't own the Hunger Games.**

**Also, the 50****th**** annual Hunger Games is featured in this chapter. If you haven't already watched the Quarter Quell video by Mainstay Productions you really should its amazing! I am in love with James Gaisford who's playing Haymitch in the video. He also plays Finnick in a Finnick and Annie series on Youtube by the same company. That may be the root to my Finnick and Haymitch obsession…**

**Anyways onto the chapter!**

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><p><em>Haymitch,<br>I have bad news mixed with good. Do you remember Beetee's stylist? Salender?  
><em>The name first brought to mind a salamander, but I knew that wasn't right. Then another image was brought to mind. Tall, chiselled auburn hair that looked incredibly too gelled. He was also freakishly pale and usually lacked a shirt. He was sparkly, physically and personality wise. I'd noticed this on a particularly sunny day when his skin seemed to glitter. The Capitol pet had diamonds embedded in his skin.  
>What was most memorable was his personality. He was sparkly in that aspect too. Very talkative. That would usually annoy me put he talked about useful things that I would actually care about. There was nothing personality wise that could really putt you off.<br>Until now.  
><em>He's a Capitol spy. Wiress walked in on him when he was reporting back to the Capitol. Luckily- and here's the good news- it was his first time reporting anything illicit so he reported to Plutarch. He had no idea he was part of it.<br>I'm not sure what's going to happen now. The train from three arrives soon. Beetee's disconnected all means of communication to the Capitol. Plutarch is meeting them there and hoping for the best.  
>Until later,<br>Cinna  
>Ps. I'm planning something special for Katniss's interview<br>_I toss the letter into the train compartment I usually occupied this time of year. "Trust is hard to come by" I'd told Plutarch before the Reaping. Turns out it was true. District three, the one containing the person who's planning our mass breakout also contained our first spy. Maybe the first of many.  
>" Haymitch? Dinner." Calls Effie from the other side of my door. She raps her knuckles against the door too, just to be doubly sure I heard her. I grumble a complaint; dinner is the least of my worries at the moment. Had Salender and contacted somebody else or gone directly to Snow and we would have been finished. We would have had no shot at getting anybody out of the arena and we would have been done. Just like that.<br>Worst case scenarios still running rampart through my mind I sit down at the table where a lavish feast sits. A lavish feast that I have no stomach for. I'm by myself for a moment until Peeta walks in. He gives me a slightly too cheery- considering the situation- greeting. I shut him up by shooting him a look. Quickly following is Effie with Katniss. She's the one I'd want to be around. Not because I want to talk to her. The opposite actually, she would leave me alone.  
>Once Effie and Katniss are seated we eat. Effie seems to me more willing to oblige to Peeta's attempts at conversing but seeing as neither Katniss nor myself cares to contribute, most topics die out fast. Until the boy complimented her on her hair.<br>"Thank you." Effie chirps putting a hand to her golden wig. "I had it especially done to match Katniss's pin. I was thinking we might get you a golden ankle band and maybe find Haymitch a gold bracelet or something so we could all look like a team." I glare into my dinner. I don't want a bracelet. And if we broadcast the fact that we're supportive of rebellion well they spies wont have anything left to try and spy on. But of course Effie doesn't know that. Bless her innocent mind.  
>I want to puke when Peeta starts kissing up to Effie's suggestion.<br>"I think that's a great idea. How about it Haymitch?"  
>" Yeah, whatever." I continue to stare at my food. To an outsider it would look as if I was trying to telepathically send my meal flying into Effie's face. Believe me, I want to. But that's not what I'm doing. I just don't want to look at him. I realized that once again. I can no longer find solace in alcohol for these Games. Sure, Peeta will probably come out in one piece. But it might be one hell of a job to get it done. And like Katniss and I agreed on: we owe him.<br>Well _damn_.  
>"Maybe we could get you a wig, too." I look up to greet Katniss's first statement of the night. Unfortunately for her, I'm not in the mood for any kind of jokes.<br>After dessert, which was accompanied by an awkward silence Effie suggested  
>we watch the Reapings. It's really the last thing I want to do but when I see Peeta run off to get his notebook I'm reminded once again that I owe him to at least make an effort.<br>Watching these Reapings are a completely different experience. For most tributes this is the second time I've seen them walk up to the stage. I just sit there stoically as person after person climbs the stage. Cashmere, Gloss, Brutus and Enobaria. They'll be the most dangerous career pack yet. Beetee doesn't need to volunteer because his name is drawn. It's not like he had that big a chance of not getting picked. Wiress, who's usually good for a killing time kind of conversation is reaped along with him.

District Four is one of the hardest to watch. Finnick is called from the sizable pool of male Victors, not long after Annie is called. She breaks down, I'm about to break my composure when Peacekeepers start to detach from the crowd but Mags hobbles up to the stage. There should be a law about sending an old lady into the Games. It's just wrong.

I'm not surprised when Surge is reaped from his pool in five. He's the strongest victor they've ever had; his name was probably in there one too many times. He was one of those tributes who could have been a career, but was smart enough not to. Strong and smart: not a good combination.  
>When Six's reaping shows up it's just sad. You see the victors have mostly wasted away except for a select few like Catherine Zane or Ezra Tyrant who still have hope and haven't turned to drugs. Catherine drinks, though. I only know that because when I was on a midnight liquor run I found her sitting by the racks of wine, just drinking. That's the bright spot in being an "invisible Victor" as I call them. You can do anything and you're not patronized for it. Sadly I'm quite known and can't get away with anything.<br>Well, seeing as Johanna is the only living female tribute I shouldn't be shocked when she takes the stage but yet I am. It was only six years ago that I saw the weak, pathetic girl who was Johanna Mason climb up to the stage. A lot had changed since then. But not enough to make me think it wasn't too soon for her to go back in. Blight is on the stage too, Johanna smiles a little. Blight is one of the only people who actually realize she has feeling and she, I believe, may have a soft spot for him. The smile quickly vanishes when she realizes the reason she is smiling is because somebody she cares about is coming to a mass slaughtering with her.  
>"Oh, not Cecilia." sighs Effie. I'm shocked to hear actual compassion in her tone. Although how could you not? She's so young and her children even younger. They're sweet kids; I've met them on occasion. It's awful to think that they may not have a mother in two weeks time. Woof, one of the only tributes games who I haven't witnessed so far is called to. I've heard he loosing his memory because if old age. Lucky guy.<br>Effie's quiet again until Chaff is reaped.

"Well, Chaff never could stay out of a fight." I want to punch her in her painted up face after she says that. She made it sound like Chaff was looking forward to this. Nobody decent would want to go back to the Games. Maybe she thinks he's not that decent, seeing as most of there interactions happen when she has to retrieve me from our drunk conversations. But not even a drunk looks forward to something like this.  
>I don't need to watch Twelve's. I was there for it. Instead my mind goes to everybody I saw. All my friends and rebellion allies being reaped and going back to the place where we never wanted to revisit. I know Plutarch and Beetee say they can get us out before too many died. But deaths will be inevitable. Some of us will die. The only question is who.<br>The thoughts and possibilities of death are filling my mind until my restraint breaks and I go to find something to drink. I leave my room quietly. The whole train is mostly quiet. The only noise is coming from the television area down the hall. Peeta must still be watching videos of older Games. Why is he doing that to himself? A Capitol attendant comes up to me when I enter the dining compartment.  
>"Wine?" I request. He shuffles away to get my wine and I sit on the chair listening to the sounds of the TV as they make their ways to my ears. The attendant hands me a bottle of wine as the first full sentence meets my ears.<br>"We'd live longer with two of us." the shock of the words almost causes me to drop the bottle, almost. I give a hurried thank you to the attendant and head in the direction of the television. Those words were Maysilee's. She'd said them to me after she saved my life. The door to the compartment was open. Katniss and Peeta were snuggled up against each other on the couch, indifferent to my appearance. Instead they focus on the younger me on the screen.

"Allies?" I ask her. That was probably the stupidest thing I'd done in the arena. Taking on an ally that I knew would probably end up dying. She joined me then, following me through the poison paradise. I'd learned what she'd done to survive. It turned out she had been following me since the mountain had blown. That earned her some more trust. So many times she could have finished me, but she didn't.  
>"Because you didn't deserve to die. You're not a bad person, Haymitch." she'd told me when I asked. That had been edited out obviously. Don't want people thinking Tributes think that other Tributes shouldn't die.<br>The only real conflict came when she refused to go any further unless I told her where we were going. Up until that pout I'd avoided telling her because I wasn't sure if she would head off to form some other alliance and wait wherever I was going to ambush me. But this time I decided to tell her  
>"Because it has to end somewhere, right? The arena can't go on forever." I reasoned.<br>" What do you expect to find?" she questioned, probably thinking that I was just trying to run away from a fight.  
>"I don't know. But maybe there's something here we can use" besides, we really had nothing to loose. A montage started then, it was just us walking through the arena, towards the edge which would turn out to be incredibly under whelming if you didn't stick around long enough to find anything out.<br>" That's all there is Haymitch. Let's go back." She turned around then, just thinking a smart guy like me would realize there's nothing left to gain. But a smart guy like me knew anything could be useful if you needed it to be.  
>" No I'm staying here." I said, still looking of the edge of the arena.<br>" Alright. There's only five of us left." she reminded me "May as well say goodbye now anyway. I don't want it to come down to you and me."  
>"Okay" was all I said. And then the alliance was over. She walked away and I walked across the cliff, I remembered being careful then, not wanting to fall over the edge and die a pathetic death.<p>

I snapped the seal on the wine bottle then. I knew what was coming up soon and I'd need alcohol to handle it.  
>When the stone that I kicked of the ledge comes back at me you see the confusion appear on my then-handsome face. Then you see it light up as I realize what it might mean. Not long after the fist sized rock had soared back into my hand when the screams started. I knew they were Maysilee's. I knew our alliance was over. But I also knew I should help her.<br>I take a sip of the wine to prep for what's to come.  
>Unfortunately I'm too late to prevent anything happening to her. The pink skewer birds have punctured her throat and have flown away by the time I arrive at her side. I didn't know what to do then. I was just a guy who had been thrown into a fight to the death. I had been prepared to fight. But not prepared to see somebody die in front of me. It's ironic really.<br>Watching this twenty five years after it happened I still want to punch somebody. I still want to cry. I still wish I could have saved her. I take a huge gulp of the wine to try and numb the feelings that the replaying of my Games is bringing on. Even though it pains me to watch, I can't seem to leave.  
>I watch as Maysilee's eyes close and her grip on my hand disappears. I shudder and shake my hand. For a moment it felt as if she were gripping my hand again. They show the next two deaths in quick succession. Then it's just me and Jewelia, the girl from district one.<br>The fight is fast and bloody. As each cut and blow is placed on my body I remember the pains. I take another gulp of wine and run a hand down my arm, just to make sure that there is not really a gash running lengthwise half way down it. There's not. But I can remember clearly when there was.  
>I peel my eyes away from the screen to look at the two lovebirds. They look frightened for me even though they know that I'm going to live. They watch as I gouge out Jewelia's eye with my knife. She screams in frustration and pain. To reciprocate she sends her axe swinging towards the stomach of the younger me. I can't dodge it and it goes straight under my rib cage. And believe me you don't know pain unless you know what that felt like.<p>

Having a fatal wound I run as best I can to my only hope, the edge of the arena. I hadn't had any plan in mind; I was just hoping something would come to me. She ran after me, the blood flowing freely from her empty eye socket. I get a meter away from the edge of the cliff before I fall down. I don't remember much after that. I only know what happens because I had to watch it in my interview after it happened.  
>I watch as she throws the axe towards me, the only thing that saved me was me kneeling over as black spots started to cover my vision. The axe soared over my head and off the cliff.<p>

I remember thinking two things then. One: the force field will shoot it back at her; hopefully, it's so crazy it just might work. Two: why can't I just die already? That's a question I still ask myself on occasion. _Why the he'll am I still here  
><em>Well it's because that axe hit the force field, bounced off and ended up in district one's skull. The canon goes off and I have won the Games. Before the anthem can start up to signal the end of the Games one of the kids shuts off the television.  
>I'm silent, waiting to hear what they want to say about the Games. Unfortunately they mimic my silence.<br>" That force field" Peeta says, breaking the silence. "At the bottom of the cliff, it was like the one on the roof of the training centre. The one that throws you back if you try to jump off and commit suicide. Haymitch found a way to turn it into a weapon." Katniss nods.  
>" Not just against the other tributes," she adds. "But the Capitol too. You know they didn't expect that to happen. It wasn't meant to be part of the arena. They never planned on anyone using it as a weapon. It made them look stupid that he figured it out." well they don't really need that much help to look stupid... "I bet they had a good time trying to spin that one. Bet that's why I don't remember seeing it on television. It's almost as bad as us and the berries!" That for some reason makes them really laugh. And I mean laugh like they hadn't been through hell and back, it was real happiness.<br>"Almost but not quite" I say, deciding to alert them of my presence. Katniss whips around, startled. She looks worried that I'm going to yell at them for watching my Games. But honestly? I'm kind of shocked they hadn't watched them sooner. I swish the wine around in the bottle and take a sip. Katniss's eyes follow it to my mouth. I can tell she's not happy but I can also tell she doesn't really care. And if I know her as well as I think I do; she's also realizing just what kind of ally I could possibly be.

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><p><strong>My goodness that was a long chapter! I was not anticipating that! So I want all of you to do two things for me<strong>

**Review please! It only takes a moment.**

**Go and watch the Quarter Quell and Finnick and Annie videos on Youtube if you have not done so!**

**R&R!  
><strong>


	12. Chapter 12: The Meeting

**I don't own the Hunger Games, and I've introduced some new characters in this chapter, if you're not clear on who they are just PM or review and I can clarify.**

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><p>The next morning I saw something or rather, someone, who I never ever thought or wanted to see again.<br>Asha, my stylist. I'd really thought she'd given up on me. After about three years of me resisting and some verbal attacks while I was first getting into drinking she'd given up. But there she was in her all her neon glory.  
>As soon as I spotted the electric blue wig that couldn't possibly be anybody else's I tried in vain to back track into the train. But sadly I did not go unspotted.<br>"Haymitch!" normally I would have ignored the recognition but I didn't. My name wasn't called in the trilling, squeaky way that she used to. But instead very flat, very normal, cutting through the Capitol tainted platform noise.  
>"Isn't that your stylist?" questioned Effie raising an eyebrow. I could sense the repertoire of questions coming up. Why has she not been around? What did I do to make her stop trying to get me looking all fancied up? Why did she show up now?<br>"Uh, yeah." I say, not giving any more details. "Where are Katniss and Peeta?" I ask, trying to change the topic.  
>"They're already on there way to the remake centre. What is your Stylist here?" she says, answering my question and getting back on topic.<br>"I have no idea, but we should probably go..." I say, trying to walk away but Effie steps in front of me and I can't go back since there's only a train which I would probably not be allowed back on.  
>"Don't be rude!" she chides. "We shall wait here to see what she wants." I pretend to be shocked.<br>" But your schedule!" she affords me a glare and waves down Asha. Her neon-ness very noticeable in the pastel tones that seem to be all the rage this year in the Capitol.  
>"Hello Haymitch!" she says, still lacking the chirpy-ness that I used to find very annoying. " And I don't think I've had the pleasure to meet you!" she tells Effie bouncing in her four inch heels.<br>"Effie Trinket, I'm district Twelve's escort. Pleased to meet you." She says, I catch her admiring the glitter embellished blazer that my stylist is sporting.  
>"I'm pleased to meet you, Miss Trinket!" she smiles and shakes Effie's hand. " I hope you won't mind but I need to borrow Mr. Abernathy! Snow requested he look extra nice tonight! It being a Quarter Quell and all!" She turns her attention to me next; I'm surprised and a little uncomfortable when she suddenly gives me a hug.<br>"Don't worry," she whispers. "Plutarch is holding a little meeting. Snow doesn't care how you look." she detaches her arms then. "You ready to go? We have a lot of work to do!" she laughs.  
>"Yea, yea. Let's go." I grunt, don't want to seem overly excited.<br>"I expect you to be at the opening ceremonies tonight, Haymitch!" Effie calls as I move through the crowd.  
>"Will do, Trinket!" I call.<br>I have no idea where we're going. I just follow Asha as she moves along the Platform and down towards where a car with tinted windows awaits.  
>"Get in." she tells me as she opens the driver-side door for herself. I walk around to the passenger side.<br>"I didn't know you could drive." I tell her sliding into the car which still possesses that new car smell.  
>"I can do a lot of things." She says, starting the car and easing the pedal down. I look at her from my spot. She's a bright spot in the car's bleak interior so it's kind of hard not to.<br>"What happened to you?" I ask her, this isn't the annoying stylist who dressed me up for slaughter twenty five years ago. The lightness is gone from her demeanour she's all business now. She also doesn't seem as stupid as she once was.  
>"I thought I was doing you a favour by not coming around anymore. Now you question it?" She asks.<br>" No, I meant what happened to _you_. You seem different. You used to be a Capitol Pet. Now you're here driving to a rebel get- together."  
>"<em>Don't<em> call me a Capitol Pet. You have no idea what they've done." She snaps.  
>"They sell people. Force People to do things they don't want to do. Act all happy go lucky while the rest of Panem is starving." I list, counting on my fingers. "Kill people." she stiffens at my words. <em>Ah...<em>  
>We turn onto a side road and I ask. "Who was it?" She looks like she's debating on whether or not to tell me.<br>"They killed Senca." She finally decides to tell me.  
>"Crane?"She nods. "What's so special about him?" I ask.<br>"He was my fiancé." She tells me. She turns onto a road that looks mostly industrial.  
>"How did I not know this?" I ask, certain that if the Head Gamemaker had been engaged, all of Panem would have known. I'm sure Effie would have been squawking about it if she knew. And if Effie didn't know a piece of gossip, well there wasn't anything to know.<br>"It was a secret."  
>"Well you kept it very well." I assure her. I don't know why it was kept a secret, but they probably had their reasons and I'd pried too much already.<br>With her confession still hanging in the air we turn into a cul de sac that lies flat in front of a very colourful building.  
>"Where are we?" I ask, not being familiar with this area of the Capitol.<br>"Stylist workshop. This is where the magic happens." Oh, well now I'm glad I'm not familiar with this part of the Capitol. "Here," she pulls a card out of the breast pocket on her blazer. "I need to go put the car somewhere less obvious. Go to the elevator, when you get in slide the card into the slot and press the button that comes up. Got it?" I nod and open the door to the car. Before I even get to the door she turns around and speeds away.  
>The doors slide open automatically to reveal the foyer of the building. The interior gives me a head ache. There's so much stuff. Bright stuff, Effie stuff... The only thing left un-Capitalized is fortunately my destination. Amid all the colour swatches, photographs and multicoloured lighting is a plain silver elevator door. When I get into the elevator there are 13 floors, this one, and I'm guessing one for each Districts Stylists. Right above the number 12 is the slot that Asha told me about. When I slide the card in, it clicks and a rectangular button appears between the third and fourth button. Wear house is printed in black block letters. I poke the button and down we go.<br>The ride is longer than I thought it would be. I'm obviously going down more than one floor. When it does stop it gives a little ping and the doors slide open. I step out into the hallway looking around. Quickly I count thirteen doors, six on the right and six on the left, each embellished with 1-12. The thirteenth door right at the end of the hall has Tributes labelled on it. I walk forward, trying to decide which door to go in. But once I get about half way down the hall I think the choice is obvious. If I squint I can just make out a Mockingjay, the same as the one Katniss wears, encircling Tributes on the far door.  
>As I get closer I can hear hushed chatter from the other side of the door. When I try the door knob I'm surprised by the fact that it turns and allows me to enter.<br>If I thought the decor upstairs was shocking it's nothing to what's in here.  
>It's not colourful, it's not busy, it's not loud. It's an embodiment of what the group of people standing here have come to hate: The Hunger Games.<br>It's a huge room, very wide. Wide enough for twelve lines of mannequins to fit comfortably with room to walk between the isles. In front of each row is a number. The row labelled twelve is the longest. One or two is probably the shortest. I can recognize I nice chunk of the costumes.  
>These twelve rows contain the costumes of every single tribute that have been slaughtered in the arena.<br>The victors are giving the mannequins a very wide berth. Understandable of course.  
>"It's a slap in the face isn't it?" the voice makes me jump as it came from beside me and I had no idea anybody was there. It's Kelton Miller, he must be mentoring for District Four this year. He isn't looking at me; he's just looking forward, taking in the costumes.<br>"Got that right." I tell him. I look down the row of shiny district three costumes. All bedazzled with electronic … stuff… they remind me of someone.  
>"What's going on with Salender?" I ask.<br>"No idea, I think that's one thing we're here to talk about." he shrugs. I nod and continue to look down the rows of chariot outfits. "One thousand seven hundred and ninety seven."  
>"What?" I ask.<br>"That's how many costumes there are." I stare at him. Kelton was the Finnick Odair of Panem until the actual Finnick came around four years after his win, but I'd never have pegged him for a numbers guy. "Hector figured it out." he told me. So maybe he's not a numbers guy.  
>"That's a lot."<br>"That's too many" he clarifies. I nod in agreement.  
>I hear footsteps behind me and the room goes quiet. I turn around, suddenly paranoid that it's a hoard of Peacekeepers but it's only Plutarch who has Asha on his heels. Asha comes to stand by Kelton and I. I slip a hand in my pocket to retrieve the pass card and hand it to her without a sound.<br>"Now firstly, let me apologize for the lack of chairs." says Plutarch as he moves to the centre of the room. Unanimously the rest of us form into a circle around him. With the presence of the deceased tributes' costumes I'm reminded of that first day of training where we would all gather around the Head trainer to await instructions.

"We couldn't really put chairs in here for everybody seeing as that may raise some questions. But we shouldn't be here long," I look around the circle to see who the royal we is. It seems to be the mentors and stylist from every district except one and two. It looks like we mentors all have the same alibi: we're all being prettied up by our respective stylists for tonight. "As that too, would raise some suspicion." There are murmurs and nods of agreement but Plutarch just carries on. "A big concern I wanted to address was the issue with District three." at his words heads turn towards the district three representatives: Hector and Wanda this years mentor, along with their stylists.  
>"Lucky for us there are some doctors in the hospital on our side. We've managed to get him labelled mentally unstable. Whatever information he managed to acquire won't be listened to, seeing as people will see this as no more than a result of in instability."<br>"How do we know there aren't more?" the question comes from Catherine, District 6's female mentor, who is standing opposite me in the circle.  
>"We don't. There's no way to know until they try to relay information. So we'll just need to be careful." I watched Catherine's face; she's not really one for talking. Her asking questions in front of a group was a rarity. She's very quiet unless you start talking about something she cares about. Or, on rarer occasions: when you find her very intoxicated.<br>She doesn't seem satisfied with the answer but she accepts it, allowing us to move on to the next topic.  
>"Now, you're all aware of our plan yes? The one Beetee concocted?" he asks the group, scanning us with his eyes. Nobody says they weren't aware so he continues. "We will get as many people out as we can, whoever is still alive and on our side: we will try our best to get out."<br>"Do we have a priority list?" asks Talbot, the surly looking mentor from ten.  
>"Everybody is important..." Plutarch says.<br>"It sounds like there should be a 'but' there." says Kaia, who won the games after me. Kelton cocks his head in agreement to his partner's statement.  
>"But," Plutarch amends." Katniss is a priority."<br>"And Peeta," I snap. Not impresses that he doesn't consider Peeta a priority.  
>"Yes, now, I believe Haymitch has discussed with most of you Katniss," I shoot him a look. "And Peeta's protection during the Games?"<br>"Finnick and Mags would have volunteered anyway, they're in." says Kaia, making her blond curls bounce when she turns her head to look at me.  
>"Johanna and Blight won't directly act as a shield, but they'll try to protect and help them indirectly." Spicer adds in about his tributes.<br>"Delia and Edgar will intervene if necessary." Says Ezra. Well, The Morphlings won't be too much help (I doubt they'll last very long) but it's help none the less. I get similar responses from Eight, Nine, Ten and Eleven, so I'm quite surprised and shocked by the victors/tributes willingness to do this.

"Neither Surge, nor Skyer will." says Reno, pulling a hand through her greying hair nervously. Five is the only District asked who's said no.  
>"They think it would be too obvious if nobody wanted to get Katniss or Peeta." Says Damien, trying to give a good reason but his comment isn't well received.<br>"So what then? Surge will go in with the goal to kill her?" asks Barley, a very hostile tone in his voice which is odd, he's usually very happy go lucky.  
>"No!"Reno objects, "We need somebody who looks like they would go after Katniss! Or people will catch on and then it will be over from then."<br>"The careers will be after her! Cashmere, Gloss, Brutus and Enobaria, remember them?" Gerard reminds the District Five pair.  
>"Yes, but-"<br>"I think," Plutarch interrupts. "Haymitch should say something, seeing as they are_ his_ tributes." All eyes turn to me; all conflict has been put on standstill unless I say that I'm not cool with their decision.  
>"None of you need to protect Katniss," I tell the group at large. "It's amazingly selfless that the other Victors would do this. I'm surprised so many of you said you would help. What I'm not surprised at is that somebody said no." before anybody can bring up a talk on ethics I continue "Surge is right. If nobody goes after her it will look suspicious. I'm not angry or let down in any way." Damien and Reno's postures relax; I bet they were worried I'd cuss them out.<br>"Well, with that issue resolved." Plutarch says, clapping his hands together. "We'll be getting them out on the third or forth day. Probably. Because as you know: rebellions and mass break outs can't be scheduled. They tend to happen on there own watches." there's a nod and noises of agreement, even a chuckle or two.  
>"Well, we'd better get going, if you want time to keep up alibis and make it on time to the ceremony." all at once, the stylists move from their huddle and towards their respective Victor. When Asha walks up to me I scowl.<br>"You tricked me." I accuse her. I look around, nobody else seems to be particularly thrilled to be plucked and painted but they're not complaining.  
>"Just humour me Haymitch. Besides, don't want anybody to suspect you were up to no good."<br>"Fine," I say, not really in any position to make an argument. She was right.  
>"Nothing major, I promise."<p>

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><p><strong>Review Please! As an early birthday gift perhaps? ;)<br>**


	13. Chapter 13: Opening Ceremony

**The Hunger Games movie is out in one week! OMG OMG OMG OMG**

**I'm excited if you can't tell **

**I don't own the Hunger Games**

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><p>Fortunately, kept her promise. Hours later I walked towards the training centre possessing no crazy colourings or hairstyles, I'm just clean-shaven and wearing a nicer suit than normal.<br>I hadn't really intended to look towards the training centre on my way past but I did and what I saw wasn't what I expected. 23 brightly coloured stylists were outside the doors, making quite the commotion. Of to the side, almost invisible in the fading light and black clothes was Cinna. He looked up as I walked past. Seeing my confusion he detached himself from his spot by the wall and walked towards me.

"What's going on?" I asked, looking at the brightly coloured people in front of the training centre, they seemed distressed.  
>"Well, the stylists who were at the meeting today came to talk to us, just to fill us in. They weren't very discrete; my guess now would be that they're trying to limit contact with the Victors so stylists can't relay any information. Without it being too obvious."<br>"This isn't obvious?" I ask, gesturing to the colourful hoard of people flocking the doors of the training Centre.  
>"Apparently not. They're not very good at internalizing feelings are they?"<br>"I take it you are then?" I question.  
>"I channel my emotions into my work." he tells me matter- of -factly.<br>"Mhmm?" I say, not really paying attention because I'd just noticed the time. "Well, I'd better go or this will be the last conversation we ever have if Effie deems my arrival tardy."  
>"We wouldn't want that now would we?" he laughs." See you," he says turning back towards the Training Centre.<br>I get to the victors section right before the chariots start to roll down the avenue. Effie had been waiting to ambush me when I came in. Apparently my stylist's opinion wasn't enough; I had to be deemed acceptable for public viewing by her as well.  
>When I sit down Jasper and Glitter have already started whistling and cheering obnoxiously loud for Cashmere and Gloss as they ride down the track.<br>Brutus and Enobaria get a loud cheer, but it's just a whisper compared to what happens when Finnick appears.  
>I'm pretty sure half of the female Capitol residents faint when he rolls out in his chariot with Mags: who is marginally more covered up than Finnick, for obvious reasons. From this distance it looks as if he has nothing on, I know that's not the case because only fifty percent of woman fainted when he came out. If he had been naked, well I think it would have been a solid ninety percent.<br>"Finnick is sexy!" calls a distinctly masculine voice in the row behind me. I turn around to see Kaia, Leslie and Brynn the 67 year old Hunger Games victor laughing at a very pleased looking Kelton. It's clear it was Finnick's Second-time mentor who just declared his faux adoration of Finnick.  
>"Got a little man crush do we?" I ask, smirking at him.<br>"Well, why not?" he says jokingly. "If you can't beat 'em join 'em!" with that he pretends to swoon into Leslie's lap. I look down at the chariots; I think Finnick heard the sexy comment from Kelton because when he drives by our spot he gives us one of his flirtatious winks. Any of the women who that could have been directed towards swoon, but it just sends us victors into another round of giggles.

We settle down once five and six start rolling around. They're both sporting blinking electric-y costumes since they produce power and means of transportation respectfully. The light from Fives costumes' is quite flattering seeing as Surge and Skyler still have some muscle tone seeing as they haven't aged as much as the pair from six.  
>But six, when they appear most of the crowds goes silent. Probably because nobody wants to say they support the old drugged up pair from six. Some kind souls still cheer, we in the victor's area cheer, but it's mostly from habit. By glancing around at some of the other mentors I can see they're thinking the same thing I am. This is not fair. The lights from Delia and Edgar's costumes cast shadows over their lined, sallow and shrunken faces. The lights make the hollows of their cheeks look more hollow than they really are. These sickly people shouldn't need to go through this again.<p>

Our melancholy is not forgotten but when we see Johanna's sour face there is a little less tension.  
>"She doesn't look to pleased does her?" chuckles Hunter. He and Johanna don't get along too well, she has like, an oath or something to hate district two. If she was in arms reach he probably wouldn't have said that. Even though if anybody else had said that, we'd be fine. Just coming out of District two's mouth would it have been deemed offensive. Although I can't say he's wrong. That scowl would rival Katniss's. And it doesn't seem forced at all.<br>Eight, nine and ten are really nothing special. The only real thing that stands out is how Olea and Samuel, the Tributes from ten, are dressed as cows sporting fiery belts. Are they supposed to be cooking themselves?  
>"Oh, lord," moaned Brynn and Talbot as they took in what the stylists had come up with for their tributes that year. Fortunately, Chaff and Seeder had decent costumes made from what looked like different types of leaves woven together. But I'm not being biased when I say that they don't even compare to the final set of tributes.<br>Katniss and Peeta look, well, dangerous. Their suits are fitted to their bodies; the movement of the light casts shadows over their dramatically highlighted faces. It's not as showy as the fire was, but you can't forget how they look tonight.

Harris, one of the District nine mentors, let's out a low whistle beside me. "They look scary. Wouldn't want to mess with them." there's similar comments from anybody who heard what he said. I don't comment, my eyes are fixed on my red hot tributes; they're looking forward, not sparing anybody a glance. Their cheers are almost as loud as Finnick's, and that's no small feat.  
>You know when you have that feeling where somebody is watching you? Well I have it now. I turn my head slightly to see the Career mentors glaring at me. They're not too impressed that their tributes were outshone. Luckily, Lyme doesn't look too pissed; I think she's just scowling because the others are.<p>

By the end of the ceremony, I'd say it was a toss up between Finnick and the star crossed lovers on who got the most screen time. As the tributes start rolling back to the training Centre we in the victors section start shuffling around, trying to get to the Training Centre to greet the tributes. We get there in time to see Surge and Skylar roll in. Damien and Reno quickly detach from the group and go to talk to their tributes. Nobody accompanies them; I think everybody else is still a little sore by the fact that they won't protect Katniss.

One and Two quickly converge in between their chariots; they laugh and slap each other on the back. I see Enobaria smile and those gold teeth of hers give me the shivers.  
>Safiya, Wiress's stylist is turning off all the lights that blink on her costume. When she's done with Wiress she moves to Beetee since his stylist is currently labelled mentally unstable.<br>When six roles in, Delia and Edgar's heads are turning looking at the blinking costumes. They look so old, but sometimes they seem like children.  
>Seven comes in and Johanna still looks pissed. Blight hops off the chariot first, and then offers Johanna his hand to help her down. She accepts and when her feet are on the ground she goes to see Finnick, who is mimicking Blight but making sure Mags is steady before she heads off with Kelton and Mags's stylist.<p>

When Chaff and Seeder finally arrive I walk up.  
>"Man, Haymitch!" exclaims Chaff getting off the chariots. He lacks the chivalry that some of the other male tributes have, so, Seeder is on her own dismounting from the chariot. " Katniss and Peeta looked freaky! Stuff of nightmares for some!"<br>"What he means to say is that they look fabulous." Seeder corrects. Pulling leaves out of her greying hair. "I bet the male population went crazy."  
>"Don't tell Katniss that!" I laugh. "She's got a thing about being noticed, especially if there's anything remotely sexual about it." at my mention she and Peeta roll through the doors.<br>"She does, does she?" he asks.  
>"You can test my theory, if you want. Nothing major, remember: Peeta is still her fiancé." I say nodding in their direction Seeder didn't hear any of our exchange since she was talking to Olea about her Flaming cow outfit but she follows us towards the lovebirds.<br>Before we can say anything, Seeder gives Katniss a hug.  
>"She feels sorry for Katniss. With Thresh and Rue." Chaff explains as Katniss and Seeder have their own quiet exchange. When they separate Chaff makes his move by swinging an arm around Katniss's shoulders and kissing her right on her mouth.<br>Her face was priceless. She looked so disgusted! Chaff takes in her reaction and seeing that I was right about what would happen he laughs. And I laugh with him. Big full laughs that I haven't laughed in a while.

It seems that any friendliness between Victors is prohibited because as soon as our laughing reaches the ears of Peacekeepers we're corralled into the elevators. Sadly, I get stuck with Effie and the four from District two as we get in the elevator. The only highlight of this is that Effie seems to be annoyed by all the noise they're making. Unfortunately they get off at the second floor and we're left alone.  
>"Lyme" Effie says. "Wanted me to let you know that Enobaria may be interested in an alliance."<br>"Well that's good," I tell her. And it is, an alliance with careers might be useful for the first portion of the games, the bloodbath in particular.  
>"I'm glad you think so, I was worried you'd reject the idea." Effie looks rather proud of herself now, as if my response was a great feat achieved by her.<br>We get to our floor the same time as Katniss and Peeta who are still glowing. They're standing in the doorway of the dining room, where one of the Avox's looks entirely too familiar.  
>Katniss is about to ask me what's wrong when she decides to follow may gaze instead.<br>"Looks like they've got you a matched set this year." Effie says, way too happy for the current situation. When Katniss takes in the face of put new Avox I grab her wrist. Since, I don't think she'll react well to the fact that our new Avox is Darius.

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><p><strong>I really liked writing all the Victors socializing together it was a lot of fun I hoped you enjoyed it <strong>

**Review please! And if anybody would be interested in beta-ing just lemme know!**


	14. Chapter 14:Training Week

**So, now we start training week!  
>I would also like to thank my betaparabatai phoenixflamesimmortal .**

**Pinklove21: I'm glad you liked the Finnick thing, I thought I was funny:)**

**Dislaimer: I don't own any characters here or the Hunger Games in general.**

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><p>She doesn't do anything that I expected from her. She just yanks herself from my grip and storms off to her room. Effie is still looking at Darius, our new avox. I don't think she can really pin point where she's seen him before but she knows she's seen him prior to tonight. Peeta doesn't say anything; he just gazes at Darius as he passes on the way to his own room to change.<br>He returns shortly, no longer wearing his flickering ensemble. Effie's already busy requesting things from the avoxes, so by default Darius is busy too. It's odd, seeing Darius running around taking orders when before he had all the authority to give any orders he deemed necessary. Right now, out of habit, when I see him walking from my vantage point on the couch I want ask him to come and sit down like I would've if we had met up at the Hob. But all those things are rendered impossible now, all because he tried to help Gale. Because he felt like helping. _Well_, I thought ironically, _no good deed goes unpunished, especially when you live in Panem.  
><em>"She took that better than I would have thought." Peeta whispers to me as we sit down at the table for dinner.  
>"Got that right. I was expecting a bigger tantrum."<br>"Mhmm." Peeta agrees not offering to extend the conversation since Katniss has just arrived with Effie.  
>She still stays silent for dinner while we make small talk about the opening ceremonies. There's a break in the conversation when Katniss knocks the bowl of peas off the table. Immediately she jumps out of her seat to help clean them up. I don't know what she wished to accomplish. Did she think she could talk to Darius when he came over to clean them up?<br>"That isn't your job Katniss!" Effie chides. Katniss sits back into her chair, not making any objections or defensive comments.  
>By the time the recap of the opening ceremonies comes around I'm starting to get slightly worried. She wedges herself between Cinna and I effectively eliminating Peeta as a conversationalist. I'm starting to think she's planning to become a mute.<p>

Watching the ceremonies on TV still carries the same weight as it did hours ago when we watched them live. You still see the hollow and sickly looking faces mixed in with the ones that actually have a chance to make it out of the arena. Some of them look as if walking for an hour would stop their heart.  
>Katniss finally becomes vocal once the recap has concluded.<br>"Thank you, Cinna. Thank you, Portia. The costumes were fabulous. You couldn't have done a better job." that's all she said before she retired to her room for the night.  
>And she retired a little <em>too<em> long...  
>It was nine-forty-five the next morning, exactly fifteen minutes before she and Peeta had to be down in the Training Centre. And Katniss had not honoured us with her presence as of yet. That added in with the fact that I received a gold Mockingjay bangle this morning that I was not the biggest fan of, was putting me in a sour mood. Unfortunately for Katniss since Effie wasn't here I had to retrieve her my way.<br>"Get out NOW!" I yelled through the door, pounding my fist on the solid door. I didn't wait to see if she responded, I had some important things to say and if she missed them she was screwed.  
>Peeta was at the table already. I had already told him what I was planning on telling Katniss so he kept quiet while I moved the bracelet around my wrist with loathing. I wasn't too pleased that I was being forced to wear a symbol that marked me as a rebel. Sure, I hated the Capitol and what they did to us in the districts but branding yourself with something like this was not only a dead give away but also a death wish.<br>"You're late" I snap when she finally makes an appearance.  
>"Sorry. I slept in after the mutilated tongue nightmares kept me up half the night." I frown, but it's mostly because I'm once again mad at the Capitol for it's actions and how they affect us, I can really be mad at her for having feelings though.<br>"All right," I sigh. "Never mind. Today, in training, you've got two jobs. One, stay in love."  
>"Obviously" I think despite the lack of sleep she still managed to wake up on the wrong side of the bed.<br>"And two, make some friends," my second request is not well received by her, not surprising really.  
>"No, I don't trust any of them, I can't stand most of them, and I'd rather operate with just the two of us." then Peeta speaks up, referring to the similar conversation we had earlier. Although I did not get much resistance from him.<br>"That's what I said at first but-"  
>"But it won't be enough," I cut in "You're going to need more allies this time around." Just so they can keep an eye on you...<br>"Why" She persists.  
>"Because you're at a distinct disadvantage. You're competitors have known each other for years. So who do you think they're going to target first?" although, all this is in the event of a major blood lust in the arena and everybody turns savage and forgets their promises. Which really, when lives are at stake, isn't that far fetched.<br>"Us." She answers "And nothing we're going to do is going to override any old friendship, so why bother?"  
>"Because you can fight." I remind her. Being able to fight is a big plus for her. Sadly, a chunk of the tributes this year have crippled bodies- whether from age, from the Games or abusing substances- and fighting is not a strong point. "You're popular with the crowd. That could still make you desirable allies. But only if you let the others know you're willing to team up with them."<br>"You mean you want us in the career pack this year" she says disgusted, I would guess that careers are around the same level as maggots when it comes to things she wants to make friends with.  
>"<p>

That's been our strategy, hasn't it? To train like careers?" I counter "and who makes up the career pack is generally agreed upon before the Games begin. Peeta barely got in with them last year." I see hurt cross her features as she remembers when, almost a year ago, she though Peeta had betrayed her.  
>"So we're to try and get in with Finnick and Brutus-is that what you're saying?" I can hear how displeased she is with this. Trusting other people? It's just repulsive to her.<br>"Not necessarily. Everyone's a victor. Make your own pack if you'd rather. Choose who you like. I'd suggest Chaff and Seeder. Although Finnicks not to be ignored." I remind her. I hope she at least considers this; she and Finnick together would bankrupt all the sponsors within days. "Find someone to team up with who might be of some use to you. Remember, you're not in a ring full of trembling children anymore. These people are all experienced killers, no matter what shape they appear to be in."

Maybe some of them appear to be in good shape but by the time dinner rolls around I question most of the tributes mental health. Once the training had been let out for a while I had a flood of mentors come to see me. They were all asking about one thing: Katniss. And seeing as she was not thrilled when I requested she make friends I was doubtful that the cause of these inquiries was her ability to socialize.  
>"So at least half the victors have instructed their mentors to request you as an ally." I inform her at the beginning of dinner "I know it can't be your sunny personality." I tell her.<br>"They saw her shoot." Peeta informs me. This doesn't really clarify much at the moment. I've seen her shoot too. But it wasn't so spectacular that I wanted her by my side during a battle. "Actually, I saw her shoot, for real, for the first time. I'm about to put in a formal request myself." This shines a new light on things; Peeta had seen her shoot before as well. Apparently, from what I gather, that was the tip of the iceberg.  
>"You're that good?" I decide to ask. "So good that Brutus wants you?" she doesn't seem impressed that Brutus took an interest in her but because<br>she just shrugs  
>"But I don't want Brutus. I want Mags and district three." I sigh, leave it to her to want allies like I requested but the allies she wants are not exactly desirable in any others eyes except hers.<br>"Of course you do." I sigh, waving over an avox that's not Darius. "Can you get me a drink?" I ask. They nod and I turn back to Katniss who is waiting for my verdict. "I'll tell everybody you're still making up your mind."

And that's what she did for the whole week. Every District who had originally requested Katniss as an ally had asked twice more before the Private Sessions with the Gamemakers. Seeing as each time I'd left them hanging with "she's still thinking about it." I could only hope that the second time around her raining score would be good enough to retain interest.  
>They had been very tight lipped on the subject when they had returned. They only thing that hinted that anything similar to private sessions happened was that, once Peeta had returned he'd gone straight to the washroom to wash the dye off that I'd seen was covering his hands. But by dinner I was fed up.<p>

"All right," I finally said. "So how did your private sessions go?" there's a pause at the table and the two being questioned share a look.  
>"You first," Katniss says "it must have been really special. I had to wait forty minutes to go in" she tells us. I look at Peeta, but he's reluctant to answer.<br>"Well, I-I did the camouflage thing, like you suggested, Katniss." he hesitates. "Not exactly camouflage. I mean, I used the dyes."  
>"To do what?" Portia asks, trying to speed it up.<br>"You painted something, didn't you?" Katniss asks. "A picture."  
>"Did you see it?" He asks, He sounds proud and ashamed at the same time if that's even possible.<br>"No. But they made a real point of covering it up" she informs him. I frown into my dinner now. This doesn't sound good now…  
>"Well that would be standard." Effie chirps. "They can't let one tribute know what the other did," she addresses the table then turns to Peeta. "What did you paint, Peeta? Was it a picture of Katniss?" She asks him, probably thinking that it would be terribly romantic if he had.<br>"Why would he paint a picture of me, Effie?" looking uncomfortable.  
>"To show he's going to do everything he can to defend you. That's what the capitols expecting anyway. Didn't he volunteer to go in with you?" she says this like we really should have known all this already.<br>"Actually, I painted a picture of Rue." Peeta finally reveals. "How she looked after Katniss had covered her in flowers." there's silence. I am shocked. This is _Peeta_! So well behaved in front of the Capitol in order to protect those he loves. Apparently his loved ones had not been in his best interest this afternoon.  
>"And what exactly were you trying to accomplish?" I ask, trying to see if this potential bomb trigger had any real point.<br>" I'm not sure. I just wanted to hold them accountable, if only for a moment, for killing that little girl." I can only imagine the Gamemakers disgust. Yes, it's something we all would like to do but none of us have been stupid enough to call them out on it. Until now.  
>"This is dreadful." Effie sounds like she's going to cry, you know it's bad when Effie thinks it's bad. She's usually very optimistic in these situations."That sort of thinking... it's forbidden, Peeta. Absolutely. You'll only being down more trouble on yourself and Katniss"<br>"I have to agree with Effie on this one," I tell them regretfully. Plutarch won't mind, but his team will, they'll want to make their lives he'll in the arena. This will be a true test of his powers now.

"I guess this is a bad time to mention I hung a dummy and painted Seneca Crane's name on it." Katniss says. I look at her face, praying that I find anything that would hint that she is lying but I see nothing but seriousness in her face. Great... Just _great_. She's very lucky Asha wasn't here, Katniss probably would have had some claw marks down her face.  
>"You...Hung...Seneca Crane?" Cinna says, shocked.<br>"Yes. I was showing off my new knot-tying skills, and he somehow ended up at the end of the noose." I groan these two are just burying themselves deeper and deeper.  
>"Oh, Katniss" Effie says "how do you even know about that?" She questions, I don't think she was expecting an answer.<br>"Is it a secret? President Snow didn't act like it was. In fact, he seemed eager for me to know," Katniss says, not looking the least bit ashamed by her actions this afternoon. Effie leaves then, a napkin pressed to her face. Something tells me this sudden display of emotions isn't for the reminder that Seneca was dead but for the fact that Katniss and Peeta both had targets painted on their backs now. Sure, Plutarch had said he was playing no dirty tricks and had promised the same from his team but if Snow got word of this-and he probably would, he give the orders himself and they'd have no choice but to obey.  
>"Now I've upset Effie." Says Katniss, not sounding the least bit upset. "I should have lied and said I shot some arrows."<br>"You'd have thought we planned it" Peeta says. He doesn't even sound ashamed.  
>"Didn't you?" asks Portia she says rubbing the bridge of her nose.<br>"No. Neither of us even knew what we were going to do before we went in." Katniss says, she doesn't look to unhappy either.  
>"And, Haymitch?" Peeta asks me "We've decided we don't want any other allies in the arena."<br>"Good. Then I won't be responsible for you killing off any of my friends with your stupidity." I tell them. I didn't even plan on saying that, but it's true. The other tributes said they'd protect these two. Now here they are making that one of the most difficult jobs in the world.  
>"That's just what we were thinking," Katniss says smugly.<br>I really want to strangle her right now.

Finally, once we're seated and getting ready to see the scores she shows an emotion other than pride.  
>"Have they ever given a zero?" She asks, looking at the screen.<br>"No but there's a first time for everything." Cinna tells her, I'm glad he's not defending her here. I don't really think there's anything that could be used as defence here.  
>The scores start to appear within two minutes after that. The Careers and Finnick receive optimum scores that will probably make sponsors more inclined to put down money for them while most of the others get medium scores. Scores are all relative, I think, because I'm guessing that if a teenager came in and showed them what, let's say Blight, did it would be much higher than the 6 he receives. Chaff's face disappears from the screen and I prepare for the worst. The worst would be a score below five or a twelve. A score below five would mean the Careers would forget about wanting her as an ally then we'd have lost that means of protection. If she gets a twelve, well that's too good. She'll be a threat to them and they'll want to eliminate her as soon as possible. I think if I had to say which would be worse I'd say a twelve.<br>Which is what they get.  
>"Why did they do that?" Katniss demands, I'm glad she realizes this is a problem.<br>"So the others will have no choice but to target you." I tell them accusingly. They don't realize that now, to protect them others will probably go through hell all because they decided to be defiant at the wrong time to the wrong people."Go to bed. I can't stand to look at either of you."

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><p><strong>So, I have it all planned: The Quarter Quell begins in two chapters (not counting this one.)<br>Review you wonderful people! As an official birthday gift pretty please?**


	15. Chapter 15: The Interviews

**Twenty nine hours! **_**Twenty nine hours!**_** Until I shall be sitting in the theatre waiting for The Hunger Games to come on! I have been checking Imdb everyday for almost two months looking at every little movie tidbit I can get! I have heard almost nothing bad about the film! Only that it doesn't live up to the book but honesty? No movie ever can! I read one review where they said Jennifer Lawrence gives an Oscar worthy performance! AHHHHHHHHHHHH! IM SO EXCITED! If you can't tell…..**

**I don't own the Hunger Games. And one last thing**

**! The Hunger Games is tomorrow!**

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><p>I need to look twice before I believe what i see. Peeta could just be mistaken for a well dressed tribute of he lost the gloves that make him as what would be a Capitol groom. But Katniss, well the normally scowling girl is still scowling at her attire but she looks like she should be walking down the isle to meet her matching groom.<p>

Cinna had told me this, that Snow had requested they be wearing their clothes that would have been for the wedding.  
>"'Would have been' were his <em>exact<em> words." Cinna had also said. _Would have been _that meant Snow really had no intention of these two getting out of the arena alive. And he was letting all of Panem know it.

I hadn't commented on it, nobody had. The ride down had been quiet. So the noise of the crowd seemed really too loud when the doors opened. Katniss and Peeta were swept away, Cinna and Portia were directed to the stylist section, Effie spotted somebody important and I headed to the mentors section.

When I get there I catch the last part of something that Reno was busy explaining to Hector.  
>"Three bottles, before training even started. He'd already had five the night before and it's just gone downhill from there."<br>"Now you know those rumours are not true. I have been very moderate with my drinking since my arrival." I inform them, sitting down two seats away from them.  
>"We're not talking about you, Haymitch," snaps Reno, giving me a dirty look "It's Surge."<br>"What's wrong with him?" I ask.  
>"He didn't think it would be so bad, but seeing everybody at the opening ceremonies made him realize he was going to need to kill his friends to survive, so he's been pulling a Haymitch all week." explains Hector.<br>"Pulling a Haymitch?" I ask turning to face Hector in the row behind me "Why have I not heard this before?"  
>"You probably have," says Damien as he and Ezra fill in the two empty seats."But you were probably drunk and forgot." he laughs.<br>"Touché, Mason." I say using his last name. He laughs and starts talking with Hector as well.  
>"I saw Katniss." says I voice behind me. I turn around to see Hunter, by the look on his face it's clear he's not about to complement her on her outfit. "What the hell was Seinea thinking? It's awful. Looks really stupid"<br>"It's Cinna and he had no choice." I say frostily. "What's your excuse, sweetheart?" With that comment I was on the fast track for a black eye but I was saved when Caesar Flickerman entered the stage in all his colourful glory.

"Welcome, welcome!" His opening words are met with loud cheers from the audience. "What a treat we'll have for you tonight! All tributes have been through the games been interviewed before and now here they are again, all for the celebration on the Quarter Quell!" the cheers are not as loud this time, yes the Capitol adores the Hunger Games but there is distain among them seeing their "beloved" victors forced back into an arena. Defining the Quarter Quell as a "celebration" may not have been the smartest move. Before any sort of riot can start he brings out Cashmere, who like her tribute last year is playing up sexy. I have no idea what exactly, my tributes are doing. Peeta told me it may be similar to last year, but I don't really know what he could do. I haven't talked to Katniss about it. I'm still a little raw from what she did last night. Peeta's been the bigger man and apologized. As I said, everybody wants to do what he did. So really I don't have much le way when it comes to being mad. Katniss's actions were all out of spite though and she hasn't apologized making me not very inclined to talk to her. It would be the exact same, if the situation were reversed. But it wouldn't be, because I'm not that stupid.

Cashmere and Gloss talk about how kind the Capitol is to them. Capitol-Pets, I scoff in my head. As I said, I'm not stupid. I wouldn't say it out loud with their mentors sitting behind me. Enobaria and Brutus are more of the same, just a little more excited for the Games.

Wiress's interview goes nowhere, seeing as she can't complete a sentence. This is why she is so good for a conversation when you need to kill time: because you need to keep starting over. Beetee, being the brain that he is questions the legality of the Quell. He brings up laws and regulations that I'm sure have been forgotten or just ignored. The three minutes of his interview are utterly confusing to say the least seeing as not all of the Capitol population are lawyers or politicians.

Mags's interview greatly resembles Wiress's seeing as you can't really understand her slurred speech. Finnick's interview however, or should I say, the response to it is greatly similar to the reaction he got at the opening ceremonies. He does the standard, answering a few questions; not being happy about the Quell now here's the kicker: he had a poem.  
>"<em>I saw her once and there I was<br>In love with an angel sent from above  
>Her Eyes so true<br>Saying I love you  
>Her hair that falls in gorgeous waves<br>The smile puts you in a daze.  
>Her laugh so cheerful high and light<br>Stolen kisses in the night  
>My lady so fair, my lady so pure<br>For our love there is no cure" _

the crowd goes nuts, but for the most parts the mentors who consider Finnick a friend are up here covering there mouths so the camera's won't see them laughing. Finnick is no literary genius. Only Finnick would try to rhyme "was" with "above". Keyword: try.  
>I see what Reno and Hector were talking about earlier as Surge takes centre stage. I recognize the pallor and lack of coordination that comes with too much to drink and nightmares. He looks like hell.<br>The rest of the interviews are all forms of rebellion, some subtle some not so subtle. Chaff, being Chaff, is even bold enough to say that I the President cared enough he could stop it. The crowd is bubbling and not with excitement, it's more of a contained rage that hissing out through leaks in their love for the Capitol. And the feelings are encouraged when Katniss floats up for her interview in her wedding dress. When the crowd is settled Caesar begins,

"So, Katniss obviously this is a very emotional night for everyone." he points out "Is there anything you'd like to say?" he asks, gesturing to Katniss who has managed to create a mask of sadness laced with happiness.  
>" only that I'm so sorry that you won't get to be at my wedding..." she tells them managing to make her voice tremble at the fact that they cant attend an event she really didn't want to attend herself. "But I'm glad you at least get to see me in my dress. Isn't it just... The most beautiful thing?" like last year, she starts to turn.<p>

The display of her wedding dress brings on cheers, but they cheers turn to screams as the dress starts smouldering and flames start to lick up the skirt. I jump forward to the edge of my seat, all around people cry "Haymitch! What's going on? Is she okay? Did you plan this?" But I'm intent on the stage, judging whether I should march up to the stage and stomp out the flames that threaten to fry my tribute. Out of the corner of my eye I see another commotion up in the stylist's area. The colourful people are jabbering at the mono-coloured Cinna, but he's just gazing at the stage. The look on his face says that whatever this stunt is, it's planned. With that I lean forward, not for worry but now in anticipation. I was oblivious to the inquiries of the other mentors. I watch as the pure white dress becomes a silky black one, no longer smooth satin but textured,  
>"Feathers." Caesar breathes, daring to touch the black crown that adorns her head." You're like a bird."<br>"Not just any bird." says Damien in a low sing-songy voice. I don't even respond I'm still looking at the outfit which resembles a bird. But like Damien said: not just any bird.  
>"A Mockingjay I think."Katniss says, waving her arms making the floor length sleeves which are now the birds wings shimmer in the stage light. "It's the bird on the pin I wear as a token"<p>

That's not all it is, we think collectively in the Mentors area, an on stage we see that Caesar has the same though.  
>"Well hats off to your stylist." I don't think anyone can argue that that's not the most spectacular thing we've ever seen. Cinna, I think you'd better take a bow!" in the stylists area, Cinna stands, fully accepting credit for what's just happened on the stage, taking credit for the most obvious act of rebellion anybody a seen tonight, more than anybody dared to do because it would most likely mean execution. And he knew that, he knew what this would mean. I hear the whispers starting around me, saying how he's sentenced himself to death, I can't help but agree. But I also can't help but admire him.<br>_I channel my emotions into my work_

that's what he'd said. He must have been feeling rebellious, he was part of the rebellion and we were all willing to die if it meant it would but us one step closer to out goal.

The crowd is still whispering excitedly and worriedly as the buzzer goes off, indicating that Katniss is done and it's now time for Peeta.  
>"He dropping any bombs this time around?" asks Damien.<br>"Don't know." I inform him. "Haven't talked to him about it. But he knows what to say." I tell him, earning me what I call the _what the hell are you trying to say_ look. But I don't explain because Caesar quickly gets the ball rolling with Peeta's interview.

"So, Peeta, what was it like when, after all you've been through, you found out about the Quell?" Had that been me up on the stage my response would have been something along the lines of "You don't know, and you won't know unless you ever go through the shit I've gone through." then I'd probably say some things that would need to be censured out in order for it to remain appropriate for a general audience.  
>"I was in shock. I mean, one minute I'm seeing Katniss," even in this situation the corners of his lips lift as he says her name. "Looking so beautiful in all these wedding gowns, and the next..." He trails off, but Caesar quickly finishes the sentence.<br>"You realized there was never going to be a wedding?" Peeta doesn't answer right away instead it looks as if he is having an internal press conference about what to say next.  
>"Caesar, do you think all our friends here can keep a secret?" he decides to ask, this is where he's dropping the bomb I can tell.<br>"I feel quite certain of it." Caesar laughs.  
>"We're already married" he confesses. <em>Well, that's not too exciting<em>. I think, slumping back into my seat. _Really just one level higher than what he did last year_. The Capitol eats it up though. But in my opinion this is not the kind of confession that would encourage rebellion that I'd hoped he would make.  
>"But... how can that be?" Caesar asks what almost everybody in the Capitol must be wondering<br>"oh, it's not an official marriage. Didn't go to the justice building or anything. "he tells us "But we have this marriage ritual in District twelve. I don't know what it's like in the other districts. But there's this thing we do." Peeta goes on to explain the toasting then, I don't listen of course. I don't want to be lectured on a ceremony that I was deprived of.  
>"Were your families there?"<br>"No, we didn't tell anyone. Not even Haymitch." at this heads swing in my direction. Just in time I manage a confused, shocked and pitying face. "And Katniss's mother would never have approved. But you see, we knew if we were married in the Capitol, there wouldn't be a toasting. And neither of us really wanted to wait any longer. So one day, we just did it. And to us we're more married than any piece of paper of big party could make us." he tells us, voicing basically the values of all of district twelve when it comes to weddings.  
>"So this was before the quell?" says Caesar, <em>idiot<em>! I scoff, _they're not stupid._

"Of course before the Quell. I'm sure we'd never have done it after we knew." Peeta is getting snappy now. Not really, I believe, level headed Peeta is only getting testy for the cameras "but who could've seen it coming? No one. We went through the Games, we were victors, everyone seemed so thrilled to see us together, and then out of nowhere- I mean, how could we anticipate a thing like that?" he demands of Caesar.  
>"You couldn't Peeta," Caesar puts an arm empathetically around Peeta's shoulders as I he could somehow understand what the Tributes and Mentors and Victors watching in the Districts are going through "As you say, no one could've. But I have to confess, I'm glad you two had at least a few months of happiness together."<br>"I'm not glad," says Peeta, looking pained now. "I wish we had waited until the whole thing was done officially."  
>"Surely even a brief time is better than no time?" He says trying to console the young man.<br>"Maybe I'd think that too, Caesar," I can feel another confession coming. And if it's what I think, then it will be a full out riot in here. "If it weren't for the baby." I put on a shocked face; the cameras might swerve towards me. A man who now has to send his "pregnant" tribute into the arena. But it goes to Katniss first, looking shocked and embarrassed. _Perfect Sweetheart_! I crow in my head. _Perfect reaction, perfect timing, perfect thing to say_.

I'm absolutely ecstatic.

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><p><strong>I have the next chapter written now and ill make a deal with you, if I make it to <strong>**thirty five**** reviews tonight I shall post it. If not it will be up Friday or Saturday night.**

**So ya….. and I am really, really happy with the next chapter soooo….**

**Review and all that jazz**

**MAY THE ODDS BE EVER IN YOUR FAVOUR!**


	16. Chapter 16: Now it's Real

** I got the 35:) You guys have no idea how happy I am! This, combined with my jittery-ness seeing as The Hunger Games is 28 hours away add in I've also recently had caffeine is making me absolutely giddy! So thank you thank you thank you! It means a lot to me. I don't own the Hunger Games**

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><p>It was amazing but the cameras had been shut down already but there were still the people inside who could see the Victors on the stage. They could still see the hands held together, the words and subtle accusations spoken in the interviews still rang in the ears of the Capitol.<br>It was like a wave, mentors, stylist regular citizens being forced from their seats was a force you couldn't block. I got up quickly, in the crowd Katniss and Peeta could easily be abducted and taken straight to Snow. And I had no time to recover them tonight.

Most of the other Victors had the same idea. We were our own little wave as we pushed through the exodus of people. We were jostled and bumped and we fell on each other, but we didn't stop.

"LET ME THROUGH!" the voice came from the front of the crowd, towards where the Peacekeepers stood acting as a barricade. It was Catherine; she pushed against the broad chest of the Peacekeeper in front of her, trying to make her way to the Morphings who stood off to the side. Their eyes were wide and frightened; they didn't know what was going on or what to do. They were like two children separated from their mother, lost and alone. The Peacekeeper said something to her and pushed her away.  
>" I DON'T GIVE A SHIT!" she declared, the force of the crowd and us mentors determined to do the same pushed her forward a bit. But she was forced back into our numbers when the Peacekeeper<br>raised his arm and smacked her hard across the face.

The audience of the interviews hadn't all left the building yet, and a fair few had seen what had jut happened to Catherine, or guessed by the sound of our uproar or seeing normally quiet and contained Catherine touch the spot on her face that was quickly turning a fashionable shade of red. They weren't happy either. They started shouting too, but it was just sounds, they didn't stop leaving they just halted long enough to shout a profanity at the Peacekeeper.  
>S<p>

ome of the Victors who still have bodies that can put up a fight try to shove against the Peacekeepers but the efforts turn futile once the Peacekeepers start moving collectively. They act as a wall, effectively blocking us from continuing any farther to our tributes.

They have us forced out the door in no time. We stumble out the doors a little worse for wear. Peacekeepers are standing in a semi circle around the doors, stopping anybody from re entering the building. We push through the blockade, we start filtering out now, we know when a fight is futile. And being victors we all have strong survival instincts. The more mobile ones manoeuvre through the chaotic street with ease while the older mentors gravitate to the side to wait out the flood of people.

"Haymitch!" Effie calls, I don't look back but I can hear the rapid clicking of her heels on the pavement. "The recap has been cancelled! They said because it displays rebellion!" she calls, catching up to me. "They're being absurd!" I turn around then, and she almost crashes into me. "They don't want rebellion! Katniss and Peeta, they just want to be happy. They just want their child to be safe!"  
>"You can't have it both ways, princess." I snap. "You can't be safe living like this. We can only be safe and happy when it comes to an end!"<br>"But... You could die. You could all die!" She tells me, waving her hand at me and the other victors who pass us by.  
>"That's likely." I tell her, not sarcastically. This is real now.<br>"You could loose everything!"  
>"Again, a probable outcome. But if it works-"<br>"If it works?" she gasps. "There is a rebellion planned?"  
>"It's in the process as we speak." I tell her. She doesn't yell at me, she doesn't go running to the nearest Peacekeeper either. I think the news may have broken her brain. "Just zip your lips about it." I warn her. "That's all I'm going to say about this topic." I turn around, leaving her pondering in the middle of the street. Or, I thought I did.<br>"Is there anything else I should know? Anything at all?" she asks, catching up to me again, I'm three meters from the building now, but I stop and turn around.  
>"Katniss and Peeta aren't married. Nor do they have a bun in the oven." I say waiting for a reaction. I get one.<br>"Why would they say they did?" I start to turn around. "You answer me right now, Mr. Abernathy." she snaps, her voice like a whip.  
>"Because its a Game. This whole thing is a game. You need to say the right things, build the right team and make the right moves to win."<br>"Aren't I a part of this team?" she demands.  
>"Now you are, sweetheart." I tell her, turning but I'm blocked by a Peacekeeper.<br>"She can't go in." he says, swinging a baton threateningly in his hands. Effie doesn't say anything she is shocked, I bet she's never been told she can't do something before.  
>"Okay." I tell him, and then turn back to Effie.<br>"Remember, sweetheart. You're part of the game, so, it's do or die now." I whisper, then turn around and head into the building.

On the other side of the door somebody is waiting for me.  
>"Haymitch." the voice makes me jump and I spin around to the source.<br>"Kelton," I acknowledge. "What are you doing here."  
>"Finnick wants an answer. Allies or not?"<br>"Allies," I tell him. Deciding that after tonight and the hell that's been released, they can't afford to be in there alone.  
>"Wonderful." he says pushing the button to summon the elevator.<br>"Quite the riot outside isn't it?" I say when we get into the elevator, not keen on an awkward silence.  
>"Of course it is." he says pushing the four then the twelve. "This is where it gets real, Haymitch. This is when it gets dangerous; this is when we start putting ourselves at risk."<br>"And we weren't already?" I ask him as we pass the second floor.  
>"No, we were. But we've gotten to the point where they will stop at nothing to stop us from uprising. They won't wait to kill us." I know he's right; everything he's said has been lurking in the back of my mind for weeks. I knew this time was coming, but I was hoping to put it off, but with he Games just around the corner that's not possible. And since they will stop at nothing, neither can we. The elevator dings as we reach his floor.<br>"Kelton, wait a sec," I tell him slipping the bangle from my wrist. "Give this to Finnick. Make sure he wears it in the arena, Katniss will know what it means." I tell him. He looks at me like I'm crazy, which I probably am. But he takes it and promises he'll have it on in the arena then leaves the elevator.

I let out a breath I didn't realize I'd been holding when I see Katniss and Peeta standing around the living quarters for Twelve. There's no need to send out a search party.  
>" Its madness out there." I tell them. "Everyone's been sent home and they've cancelled the recap of the interviews on television." at my words they go to the big window that overlooks the still-busy street.<br>"What are they saying?" asks Peeta "are they asking the president to stop the games?" unwillingly, I believe, hope creeps into his voice.  
>"I don't think they know themselves what to ask. The whole situation is unprecedented." I think of Effie and how shocked she was at the Peacekeeper and the news that there was a rebellion in the works. "Even the idea of opposing the Capitol's agenda is a source of confusion for the people here," I soften my tone now. " But there's no way snow would cancel the games." I look at them "You know that right?"<br>"The others went home?" Katniss asks  
>"They were ordered to." I tell her "I don't know how much luck they're having getting through the mob." I think of Effie, I wonder if she's still standing in the street below or at her house. Then I remember something else, I don't even know where she lives.<br>"Then we'll never see Effie again." Says Katniss, actually looking very upset about that fact.  
>"You'll give her our thanks." Peeta Says to me. Right now they look so...broken. Neither one plans on making it put of the arena, they don't know the plan. This is it on their minds. And you can't trust the odds so it could very well be.<br>"More than that." Katniss instructs me. "Really make it special. It's Effie after all. Tell her how appreciative we are and how she was the best escort ever and tell her..." She pauses, looking for the right words. "Tell her we send our love."  
>I nod, reassuring them that I'll do it. "I guess this is where we say our good byes as well." I'll be moved to the mentors building early tomorrow.<br>"Any last words of advice?" asks Peeta  
>" Stay alive." I chuckle, this time I mean it. The first time I said it they had been kids, they hadn't been any different from the other twenty-six tributes I'd mentored. But they had been different. They always had been. I'd gotten them home, not intact of course. Nobody who came out of the Games was whole ever again. And though it hadn't been more than a month that I'd monitored them in the arena they were no longer kids. They were adults backed up by experience and memories nobody should have to endure in a life time. But here they were less than a quarter of a normal lifespan and been through hell, but I never thought I'd need to send them back. Quickly, because I don't think I could take much more, I give them a hug. Hopefully, this plan will go off without a hitch and this won't be the last time I have this opportunity. "Go to bed. You need your rest." they stay, looking like they each want to say something else. Only Peeta does though.<br>"You take care, Haymitch." Peeta says. It seems that's all now, and they start to leave.  
>"Katniss," I say realizing that I do have one last piece of advice." when your in the arena," I frown slightly, the words brought to mine the vision of Katniss that I had inside my head when she told me she was planning to die in this arena of Peeta.<br>"What?" she asks defensively, she must have thought the frown was directed at her behaviour.  
>"You just remember who the enemy is." I remind her."That's all. Now go on. Get out of here." they walk around the corner now, and disappear out of my sight. Hopefully not for the last time. These two will be coming out of that arena alive.<p>

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><p><strong>Now, I had my beta read this and they said that if you squint you could see some Hayffie in this chapter. My response was with all Haymitch and Effie's interactions you could see romance if you squint! Opinions on that?<br>Review!**


	17. Chapter 17: Bloodbath

**I saw The Hunger Games. I enjoyed it as a movie I but was disappointed at the same time. SPOILERS! They really left out important details i.e. Peeta's leg, the cave scene was way to short. The character development was kind of off since they left out some important details . Haymitch didn't fall of the stage! Grr! And he never threw up on the train either! He didn't say " you have about as much charm as a dead slug" either! They missed many important things.**

**I though the cast was amazing though. Woody Harrelson was amazing as Haymitch! Although everybody was very good. I cried more than five times in the movie and like tears running down my face not watery eyes. I was more emotional for this than I ever got for anything else! I thought the killings were tastefully done as well. But another thing: what was with Glimmer and Cato? And what happened to the district four girl? She was supposed to be with the careers! And-**

**I'm going to stop now…. Or this might overtake the chapter…. I don't own the hunger Games.**

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><p>Morning came too quick. The car to take me to the mentor's room had arrived right on time. So the car was too early. In order to leave my room and get to the car I had to pass both of their rooms. I had stopped for just a moment outside Katniss's room since I had a feeling that they would both be in there. In the silence of the apartment I could just faintly hear their breathing. I can't tell if they're sleeping or just don't have anything to say to each other. I don't check, I just let them have they're twisted version of peace while they can.<p>

I was in the elevator alone for only one floor at the 11th floor Barley and Leslie walked into the elevator. Barley was quiet, not chatty or trying to make any attempts at socializing. On the morning of the Games nobody felt like making happy comments. Especially not when in a few hours time it would be our friends being raised into the arena, our friends being forced to kill each other. Leslie's eyes were red and puffy and by the time we get to the foyer Leslie has sniffled about twenty times. Normally that would bother me but today it's taking me a lot of willpower not to give some sniffles or tears my self. But I don't cry in public. I don't cry in general. So I settled for a stony silence and a scowl. Fortunately nobody tries to talk. When we get outside there are still mementos of last nights commotion, scraps of fabric, stray programs, various pieces of garbage and even a stray pump or two.

At the car in front of us Talbot is helping Brynn into the car where District Nine are waiting. Once the door closes behind the four mentors it speeds away.

I get into the car first to see that I'm in fact nit the first. Spicer is already inside. He's in the same position I'm in. Mentoring alone seeing as District Seven's only female tribute, like the one from twelve, is being sent into the Games again. He gives me a polite nod but I don't return it. Once Leslie and Barley have gotten in we speed towards the mentor building.

The mentor's building is actually a room of course. A dodecagonal room. Twelve walls, twelve districts. The door is between one and twelve. One is on the right and then each District goes consecutively around the room. Each wall has a TV mounted on it that shows you what is on the televisions in the Capitol and the Districts. To the left of the screens are a mahogany door surrounded by metal walls that lead to the mentors beds/showers. Under each screen is a table with one screen at each end. The one on the right is the girl tribute and the left the boy. In the centre is a tally for your sponsors and vital statistics for your tributes. And of course, two chairs.  
>I sit down, glaring at the other chair in my section that has mocked me for years. This year there should have been somebody else here with me but instead I'm here alone watching that person fight again. Some victors are already in their seats others are in the middle of the room picking at the table which has a feast laid out for those who have an appetite.<br>"Three minutes" says a robotic woman's voice. More mentors sit down now and the Peacekeepers who are always present go to their designated vertex of the room.

The screen lights up and we get our first look at the arena. The cornucopia is on a sandy island with twelve spokes branching out towered where I assume the tributes will emerge. Some spokes branch out and connect to the shore, making any extra swimming unnecessary. All around the cornucopia's island is water, deep blue sparkling water that could contain nothing or everything. Luckily the arena is not all water and I can see land, from where the camera is focused on the cornucopia it looks like a rainforest although nothing as faux paradise as mine was. My eyes zoom back to the cornucopia, I see nothing but weapons. No supplies like food or water or tents. That can only mean one thing: anything you need like food or water can be found in the arena if you're smart enough to get it. My eyes go over the shot of arena that I can see. The only thing that really makes me nervous is the water. I have no idea if Katniss or Peeta can swim. It just never seemed to go across my mind.

_Way to be prepared Haymitch...  
><em>

As the tributes start to rise my eyes go around the circle, looking for a blonde head and a long dark braid. I find the blonde; his head is turning this way and that, taking in his surroundings. He looks down when water washes over his plate, his eyebrows knit together in concern and it then I see our first problem. Peeta can't swim. Hopefully he realizes that and won't attempt to learn right now. Maybe Finnick, for whom this arena seems to be designed for, can go out and get him.

Katniss's plate appears last, which worries me. All the plates are supposed to appear at once. Why was hers late? Minor malfunction? Or did something happen to unhinge her? Is she having a breakdown because she needs to go back? Is she scared of water?

I get my answer when the gong is hit. She dives into the water before even Finnick can. But she only gets to the cornucopia a few seconds before he does. When she realizes there is somebody behind her she whirls around, she has snatched a bow and arrow and is ready to shoot, so is Finnick.  
>"Don't do it, sweetheart," I warn her. I look over to where Kaia and Kelton are seated. Kelton is intent on the screen but Kaia senses my gaze and turns to look at me.<br>"He won't shoot unless she does." she tells me. Which isn't that reassuring, seeing as how Katniss is not aware that the person she may soon shoot is her ally.  
>"You can swim too." observes Finnick, his trident raised protectively, ready to throw should he need to."Where did you learn that in District Twelve?" he asks, and I'm quite curious as well.<br>"We have a big bathtub." she tells him.  
>"You must. You like the arena?"<br>"Not particularity. But you should. They must have built it especially for you"  
>"Exactly what I was thinking." growls Jasper from his spot, over hearing since this exchange is not just on my screen but is being featured live right now for everybody to see.<br>"Shut it Jasper." says Reno. "Obviously not only district four can swim." and she's right, Surge is in the water now, along with Enobaria and Brutus. There are others, but only those three are making progress. Cashmere and Gloss seem to be caught in some sort of current that they're not able to pass just yet. Something tells me that's Plutarch's doing, giving Katniss and Finnick extra time to deliberate.  
>"Lucky we're allies. Right?" Finnick asks, I hold my breath. Hoping she agrees, but she sees my bangle on Finnicks wrist and even though she knows what I'm telling her with it she still deliberates for a moment before finally snapping out an answer.<br>"Right!"

Suddenly I'm ramrod straight in my seat. Behind Katniss Surge has just reached land and is charging towards Katniss. There's a snarl on his face, he's not rushing over to make friends.  
>I whirl around in my seat towards where five is set up at almost a diagonal to me. They're facing me as well, looking pale and ashamed.<p>

"Duck!" Finnicks voice says over the speakers. There's a whistle as something flies through the air. Reno and Damien turn to face their screen, worried that Surge has just impaled Katniss with a weapon but it's the opposite. The three points of Finnick's deadly trident have just punctured Surge's chest. Neither Reno, Damien nor Kaia or Kelton have anything to say about Finnick killing Surge. There's a tense silence that fills the room now as the first one of us is killed. The first one to be taken from our circle. The silence is broken by the two districts on my right. One and two celebration since the current has given way and their tributes can swim again.  
>As Finnick and Katniss start seating the cornucopia Gloss and Enobaria make it to land. Katniss knows they're there and after she declares that there's nothing but weapons she shots an arrow towards Enobaria. But she dodges and dives back into the water, instead it sinks into Gloss's calf before he can follow Enobaria into the water.<br>"Bitch!" cries Glitter from her seat mere feet away from mine. I don't respond, my eyes travel to Peeta's screen on the table. He's still on his plate, looking at the water. I don't see any threats, people animal or otherwise, so I turn back to Katniss who just shot an arrow at Brutus. But as the arrow zooms towards him it's not his name that is called in fear.  
>"Edgar!" cries Catherine from across the room.<br>I look up to the main screen in front of me. Then I wish I hadn't. Cashmere has just slammed Edgar's head against the edge of his platform. The blow is hard and he doesn't live long after that. He starts to float, blood seeping from a wound in the back of his head. His large eyes are open and staring at the bright sky. I hear Catherine start to cry and then Paisley starts too.

"No, no," she whimpers. The main camera moves from Edgar's floating corpse to Cecilia. Who's being held under the water by Gloss. The camera is under water now, tight on Cecilia's face as she struggles to overcome the weight of Gloss and the lack of oxygen. The camera doesn't move it just stays tight on her face as her eyes widen in fright, then squeeze shut again like she's holding back tears. Her mouth is open in a silent scream; her legs are still kicking trying to stay alive. But in the end she knows it's no use. Her face is blue now and her body is twitching from lack of air but she makes her mouth form two words: I'm sorry.

Those words are for her children. Who just watched their mother being held under water until finally, she was dead. Hunter let's out a low whistle.  
>"That was good, very creative." he compliments the tribute who can't even hear him.<br>"You asshole," I hiss at him. No longer concerned with my tributes I stand up and face him.  
>"What?" he snaps.<br>"You heard him, Hunter." says Lyme. "And I can't help but agree. That was low."  
>"She had kids, you bastard." reminds Gerard, rubbing a soothing hand on Paisley's back.<br>"Her kids just watched her die," I tell him. "And you complement the murder."  
>"We're going to die anyway." he reminds me. As I sit down, not wanting to start a fight.<br>"You don't have to be proud of it." I snap. Then he snapped. I got a fist in the face and the Peacekeepers finally got off their butts. I didn't retaliate. I'm not in the mood to pick a fight with District Two.

They came up and forced him back to his seat, he didn't object he just grunted and sat down, not wanting to be taken out by the Peacekeepers like he did last year when he started a fight. He turns back to Gloss's screen to see if he has anybody else at Deaths Doors. He doesn't.

I turn back to my screens rubbing my jaw, glancing at the screen showing us what everybody in the Capitol and the districts are seeing. It's Delia, the remaining tribute from Six. She's unnoticed by the careers as she hops onto one of the spokes that are attached to the land. Quickly, she scurries away from the cornucopia without any pursuers.

Katniss and Peeta's screens show the same thing now, which is a relief."Hello, again," says Peeta as Finnick brings him to land. I breathe a sigh of relief that Katniss trusted him enough. Though in the beginning she probably though Finnick was just going to go out and drown him."We've got allies."  
>"Yes. Just as Haymitch intended" she says bitterly.<br>"Remind me, did we make deals with anyone else?"  
>"Only Mags, I think," No, not Mags. I never intended Mags. I never thought she'd live this long but I guess given the arena…<br>"Well, I can't leave Mags behind." Finnick confesses. "She's one of the few people who actually likes me." and, if he left Mags he would probably become the most hated victor in the arena.

My head snaps up to the live screen as I hear a sharp intake of breath. It was Woof, he was out of the water now and had started running towards the careers. When he got there he just stopped. He had no idea what was going on. He had no idea what was coming as Brutus raised a fist and sent Woof flying into the hard metal of the cornucopia probably fracturing some of the old mans bones. Woof only manages to gasp before Brutus brings the sword across the wrinkled throat of Woof.

When the blood starts pouring from he wound he camera's turn to Enobaria, Cashmere and Gloss who are easily overtaking the two from Nine and Olea from Ten. The non careers get a slight advantage when Johanna sends a knife at the imposing careers from her spot at the mouth of the cornucopia. Blight is behind her, collecting weapons that would be useful for a pair from Seven.

Wiress and Beetee are standing on the shoreline. Beetee seems to be looking for something in the cornucopia. The camera cuts back to the three on three fight just as it becomes three on two. Gloss just sent his spear into Felix's windpipe. Tears start to fall over by the spot marked with a nine. In quick succession Cashmere sends a dagger into Leia's head. Officially ruling out District nine as a victor and ending their chance of getting them out of the arena. Thankfully though, she had managed to give Cashmere some minor wounds before she was taken out. I check my screens, just to make sure they're not in any trouble and that Katniss has not shot Finnick in the back yet. She hasn't.

I take that as an all clear and peek at District 11's screen. Chaff and Seeder haven't been on the live screen yet, at least I hadn't seen them myself. I may have been watching my tributes when they were featured. I felt that was a good thing. If they weren't shown nothing was happening to them. Looking at the screen I was right. They were still swimming. Barley and Leslie are talking in hushed voices, I can't hear a thing so I turn back to the table and look to the live screen.

I look up just in time to see Beetee charge the cornucopia. Enobaria sees him too. Breaking from the now two on one fight she swings her blade towers Beetee as he dives down to scoop something up from the floor of the cornucopia. It makes contact with his back and he goes down.

Over by three's station I can hear that Wiress's is rapidly breathing and quietly screaming that I can see here but can't hear.  
>Blight and Johanna are still at the cornucopia, they saw what happened. Blight dips down to retrieve Beetee, he gently pulls the blue suit away from the wound as Johanna sends a kick towards Enobaria that sends her knife flying towards the on going career versus ten fight.<br>"What the fuck?" screams Gloss as the knife imbeds itself in his upper arm. He yanks the knife out and chucks it back at Enobaria. She dodges but only barely.  
>"What the hell was that?" Demanded Hunter. "It was an accident! It was all Seven's fault!"<br>"He got a knife in the arm! He was justified!" states Glitter turning to face Hunter in the seat next to her.  
>"He was throwing to kill." he states.<br>"You're damn lucky I don't have a knife!" Jasper says, exasperated. "Just shut it."

That was an oddity. During any other Games if a Career turns on another Career it's just a "damn him/her. He/she was weak". For Career districts they don't become people until they win. Which is probably why Hunter took that accidental attack personally.

Half of the Mentors, including myself, jump when Chaff's booming growl comes over the live speakers. He just got out of the water and launched himself at Enobaria who was getting ready to throw a knife when Johanna was turned towards Wiress who was standing still, mumbling on the shore. Blight had Beetee and some weapons slung over his shoulder. Johanna had one hand attested out towards Wiress asking her to come with them. Slowly she nodded and surfed walking forward. Too slowly for Johanna of course. She had had enough and stalked up to Wiress, grabbed her wrist and started jogging away from the cornucopia.

I glanced at Peeta's screen. They were in the woods now. Katniss is climbing out of a tree, and I'm judging by her face she just saw the cornucopia.  
>"What's going on down there, Katniss?" asks Finnick as on the live screen Chaff slams Enobaria's head on the sand. "Have they all joined hands? Taken a vow of non-violence?" Finnick as his trident raised defensively in front of his chest. "Tossed the weapons in the sea in defiance of the Capitol?"<br>"No" She says.  
>"No," he agrees "because whatever happened in the past is in the past." he tells her squashing any hopes that I'm sure she had. "And no one in this arena was a victor by chance." he deliberates and eyes Peeta "Except maybe Peeta." There is a mental stand off between the two now, they're trying or, rather Katniss is deciding and Finnick is trying to figure out what he'd do if she tried to kill him.<br>"so how many are dead?" Peeta says, going between the two.  
>Katniss wants Him to move, you can sit it in her face, or at least I can.<br>"Hard to say. At least six, I think. And they're still fighting." she says, still looking at Finnick.  
>"Let's keep moving. We need water." he says.<p>

As scream cuts through the noise in the room and I look up. On my left, Leslie and barley are starting to make some noise. It wasn't Chaff, he and Enobaria seem to have stopped their brawl to look at the maker of the sound: Seeder. She was standing on the sand. Looking at the cornucopia but something was crawling up her legs. Crabs. They were tiny and white as sand and from the sound of things, razor sharp. You can't tell though because more and more crabs are appearing out of the sand and crawling on Seeders body. They are up to her knees, she tries to move but the mutation crabs have her locked in place. They scuttle up the rest of her legs and torso and you can see blood now seeping between each crab now.

A new scream as Olea, caught off guard by Cashmere, gets a sword in the back. She falls to the ground, not yet dead. Nobody goes to finish her off though they're all fixated on Seeder as the crabs crawl up to her face and start to attack her eyes. Seeder screams and thrashes her arms trying to shake them off, she manages to kick but it does nothing except make her loose her balance.  
>"No! Seeder!" cries Leslie as Barley sucks in a breath. The crabs haven't left yet in fact now, they're pulling her into the water.<br>"Seedey!" cries Chaff, using his nickname that always annoyed her. He jumps of Enobaria and runs to wards the water.

"No, Chaff! Don't!" pleads Barley. I don't say anything I just stare at the screen in shock. The crabs just pulled Seeder under water. Chaff doesn't submerge himself into the water to save her. Looking at his face you see that he knows she's gone. He knows she's dead. And so do we. Chaff runs then. Past the careers and past Olea's now dead body. He grabs a sword and nothing else before leaving. He doesn't see Seeders body float back up.

The body has scrapes everywhere like you ran her body over a cheese grater. Her eyes are gone, the crabs took them out. The water around her is pink with her blood. Leslie starts to cry along with many other mentors for the lost tribute, the lost victor. Our murdered friend.

Now that Seeder is gone there is nobody left for the careers to kill so they start to take whatever has been left by the cornucopia.

I go back to Peeta's screen. They're walking now; he's in front, slicing vines with a knife.  
>"Haymitch!" a voice cries. I glance out of the corner of my eye. Effie has just barged into the room. Her wig is askew and her eye makeup is running. Something is wrong. I was about to respond when there's a zap and Peeta gets thrown into Finnick and Mags.<br>"The Hell?" I cry, the only thing that could have done that was a force field. And if he hit a force field...  
>"Shit shit, shit, shit..." I mutter as I bring up his vital signs. These statistics say he's either dead or millimetres away. Shit, shit, shit.<br>"Haymitch!" Effie sobs.  
>"Not now!" I yell making the other mentors turn to me. Katniss is by Peeta now, she puts her ear to his chest. Looking at her face I can tell she doesn't like what she hears, or rather what she doesn't hear. Peeta's gone.<br>"Haymitch, Cinna is dead." Effie sobs.

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><p><strong>OMG! The drama! Oh the humanity! I have some slightly sad news. These chapters take while to write since I need to keep cross referencing so they may not be up as fast as the others. Meaning there may be as longer wait in between chapters. I'm sorry! And if you're confused about which mentor tribute is for what district here you are (if they're not bold they're dead)**

**1 Mentors Glitter and Jasper/Tributes cashmere & gloss**

**2 Mentors Lyme and Hunter/Tributes Brutus& Enobaria**

**3 Mentors Wanda and Hector/Tributes Beetee and Wiress**

**4 Mentors Kelton and Kaia/Tributes Finnick and mags**

**5 Mentors Damien and Reno/Tributes**Surge **and Skyler**

**6 Mentors Cathrine and Ezra/Tributes delia and** Edgar**  
>7 Mentors SpicerTributes Johanna and Blight**

**8 Mentors Paisley and Gerard/Tributes** Cecilia**and** woof

**9 Mentors Amandla and Harlem/Tributes** leia **and** Felix**  
><strong>**  
>10 Mentors Brynn and TalbotTributes **Olea **and Samuel**

**11 Mentors barley and Leslie /Tributes Chaff and **seeder**  
><strong>**  
>12 Mentors Haymitch AbernathyTributes Katniss and Peeta  
><strong>

**Review please!**


	18. Chapter 18: Familiar Faces

**I've seen The Hunger Games three times now and I believe that Woody Harrelson's Haymitch gets better each time I see it The Hunger Games movie works a lot better as a movie than adaptation I think. The dogs still scare the crap out of me though when they first jump out. I don't think I'll ever be immune to it. **

**I don't own the Hunger Games !**

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><p>I feel as if ice water has been suddenly pumped through my body. The icy knives paralyse me but the shock makes me move faster. Nobody speaks, not even the obnoxious Careers. A fresh wave of tears has started to fall. Angrily I wipe my eyes which are getting watery out of frustration not sadness. Here i stuck in this room. Only able to watch or hear afterwards about the deaths of people i care about. Here i am powerless to stop it. All i can do is send gifts that other people pay for. Maybe that could help. But not now, i can't send Peeta a still beating heart.<br>All the chairs are turned towards me. Eyes dart between me and the sobbing Effie. I can't tell whether the Mentor's tears and kicked-puppy looks are for Peeta, Katniss who is Starting to sob on the screen, maybe they're sorry for Effie who saw Cinna die, maybe it's Cinna Maybe it's me who they feel bad for. I fix my eyes on Katniss's screen. I can't see Peeta's now, it's been turned off by the Gamemakers. That's the notice in case you didn't realize your tribute had dropped dead. The second and final notice is the cannon.

I put my elbows on the table and hold my head between my hands, that's all I can do now. My face is right over Peeta's statistics. He has no pulse; no oxygen in his body, his brain is shutting down. I wait for the cannon I wait for the dreaded boom but I don't get it. The only thing I hear is Effie. She's trying to explain as she sits in the never occupied seat beside me.  
>I look back at Katniss's screen as Effie sits down. I see the reason I get no cannon. Finnick is doing CPR. Katniss is looking on as Finnick starts to pump his hands over Peeta's heart.<br>"Haymitch! I was just awful," She hiccups. "I had just been waiting for him and then he was being- H-Haymtich, what's going on?" she looks at the live screen first but it only shows Samule as he jogs through the colour splotched jungle with some weapons bouncing on his hip. But then she sees how Katniss's screen is the only one on and on that screen heartthrob Finnick Odair is attempting to bring Peeta back from the dead.  
>"What happened?" she cries. "What is Finnick doing?"<p>

"CPR" answers Kelton, who just walked up behind the chairs. "He will be okay, Haymitch. Finnick's never lost anybody before." with the reassurance I nod and Effie continues to sniffle, with the impending revival of Peeta temporarily overshadowing anything else.  
>I was about to punch Kelton across the face for lying, Peeta hadn't changed even after cycle after cycle if compressions and breath, but then Peeta coughed and opened his eyes.<br>"Peeta?" Katniss says softly back on the live screen as she runs her hand across his forehead, brushing away his hair. Peeta's screen has flickered on again, something I'm sure has never happened before. Nobody's ever gotten a tribute back before, but then again, Nobody's ever lost a stylist, a friend, like Cinna.  
>With Peeta back I feel a new bucket of ice water go through my veins as I remember the primary reason Effie is sitting next to me sobbing.<br>"

Effie, what happened?" I ask as Peeta tries to make a joke about how he was almost fried by the force field. Katniss attempts to laugh but is cut off by her sobs.  
>"What?" she asks, then her eyes widen and start to tear again as she too remembers why she's here in the first place. Seeing Peeta dead must have distracted her. "Haymitch! Oh it was awful! I was waiting by the hovercraft for Cinna," her voice cracks when she says his name. "We were going to get sponsors interested since you, we were sure, would be glued to the chair"<br>For good reason, I think, looking at the screen where Peeta is now trying to calm Katniss down while Finnick assures the rest of the Capitol, since Peeta knows she's not pregnant, that it's just hormones. Thank god for Finnick, he's the only one keeping up appearances.  
>"Then... Then I saw him, only it took me a while. It took me a while to know it was him," she hiccups. "I mean, he didn't look like Cinna. There was just so much blood and his head... It was like what happened to that awful girl from two last year!" she shudders.<br>"

So Sienna's dead," muses Hunter, the acidity obvious is his voice. He must have taken that "awful girl from two" comment personally. "What difference does it make?" Effie's face hardens and the tears suddenly stop. Some idle chatter had broken out in the room but Hunter's comment halted it. "He was just a stylist. No one important." Jaw set she pushed out of her chair, I thought she was just going to leave but she walks by the door and to the other side. Hunter turns in his chair a smirk clear on his face. Then Effie does something than I am one hundred percent positive is listed under unladylike behavior in her etiquette guide: she slaps him. She slaps him a lot harder than I thought she could with those tiny little arm. The smack wipes the smirk of his face. I thought for sure she would leave then but she doesn't. Instead she drives her three inch heel into his foot. I wince, unlike the slaps, I have been privy to my toes being squashed by Effie's murderous heels; whether by accident or because I was being an ass and let me tell you it hurts. But he defiantly deserved it.  
>The Peacekeepers rushed over as soon as the initial smack resonated around the room, now they stand in a menacing circle around her.<br>"Miss. Trinket," one of them growls. At his word she goes slack as if she's worried they're about to hit her over the head with a baton. Then it hits me. The peacekeepers that monitor the launch rooms got Cinna.  
>"Yes?" she asks, suddenly very meek when confronted by the Peacekeepers.<br>"You're going to have to leave. Mentors only."  
>"Fine." she snaps, but they dot let her leave on her own. Four Peacekeepers follow her out, you can see she's struggling not to shake as she feels them walk beside her. She manages to flash me one last look, but I can't figure out what she was trying to say.<br>I look back to the screen, Katniss, Finnick, Peeta and Mags are still featured. Peeta's still on the ground, Mags is gazing sadly at Katniss who is still crying because Peeta was dead for a moment back there. She doesn't even know about Cinna yet. Or maybe she does.

Was that why her plate had been delayed? Had they kept her back, stuck in the tube while they captured Cinna? I would bet years supplies of alcohol they did.  
>Finnicks eyes are flitting between the star crossed lovers as if he's trying to figure them out.<br>_"He genuinely loves her. But Katniss…"_ that is what he'd said to me the night those two got engaged.  
><em>Well, you believe she loves him now, Odair?<em>

"How are you? Do you think you can move on?" asks Finnick.  
>"no, he has to rest." Katniss manages to say. She's quite a sight right now, red eyes, tangled hair and a runny nose. Mags, seeing the snot dripping from Katniss's nose, hobbles over to a tree and grabs some spongy moss for Katniss to wipe her nose on. While she wipes her nose she spots what I'm sure is Peeta's token.<br>"Is this your token?" she asks, looking over the Mockingjay imprinted on the disc he wears as a necklace.  
>"yes." he tells her. "Do you mind that I used your Mockingjay? I wanted us to match." at that moment the camera goes in close and the golden Mockingjay fills the screen<br>"no of course I don't mind" She's lying of course. I'd be lying; any of the mentors who have tributes who've promised to keep these two alive would be lying if we said we were glad Peeta wore a symbol of rebellion into the arena. Yeah, yeah Peeta's always helpful. Supporting the rebellion and peoples rights so obviously it would make sense in his mind wear a Mockingjay! They'll only get really mad and try to kill me! That's fine if Katniss is safe.

I hate self-sacrificing people; they don't have any self preservation instincts, which are necessary during a rebellion.

" So you want to make camp here then?" Finnick asks, diverting attention off of the Mockingjay.  
>" I don't think that's an option." says Peeta. "Staying her. With no water. No protection. I feel alright, really. If we could just go slowly." Katniss wants to object but Finnick just says "slowly is better than not at all" that sets them in motion. Katniss is still trying to stifle some tears as she checks the weapons just so she can feel useful I bet.<p>

Its then that the camera cuts back to the cornucopia. Surprisingly it's not the careers who would have usually camped out by the cornucopia after who the camera is here for but Delia, now the only tribute for six. Her glassy eyes roam around, taking in the bodies. Surge, Woof, Leia, Felix, Olea are on land, their blue suits stained with their blood. Edgar, Seeder and Cecilia all float in the water, puffy from the water that has now turned a light pink. No cannons have gone off yet, I think it's because the Gamemakers hope the careers might materialize and run her through with a spear but they don't.

"I'll take the lead." Katniss says. Peeta starts to object this time on his screen. Quickly, to demystify everything they show a clip of the Careers moving throughout the jungle, probably looking for food and water.  
>"no let her do it." Says Finnick as Delia moves towards the bodies. "you knew that force field was there, didn't you? Right at the last second? You started to give a warning? How did you know?" Wanda and Hector, who are close enough to my station to hear Finnicks question and they start murmuring. That makes me think that itBeetee or Wiress may have told Katniss about force fields.<br>"I don't know. It's almost as if I can hear it. Listen." Delia has crouched by Woof's lifeless body now, her frail fingers fanned in the sand to support her. Her head is cocked to the side as if she's studying a painting.  
>"I don't hear anything" says Peeta after a moment of silence.<br>"Yes it's like when the fence around district twelve is on, only much, much quieter." Katniss insists. "There!" she exclaims as Delia moves her hand towards Woof. "Can't you hear it? It's coming from right where Peeta got shocked."  
>"I don't hear it but if you do by all means, take the lead." Finnick says.<p>

Now, Delia has her fingers on Woof's wrinkled eyelids, slowly, she brings them down to cover his eyes that until now had been previously opened. Suddenly the image on the live screen changes. Now it's Skyler, you can tell that she's forcing herself to move forward, you can see it on her aging face. All she wants to do is sit down, her shoulders heave and each breath is crackling. According to the Gamemakers this is the most amusing thing in the arena that doesn't incite rebellion. But I want to know just what is so terrible that they must cut away from Delia to a panting Skyler.

"that's weird, I can only hear from my left ear." says Katniss. I survey the screen, quickly weighing the pros and cons of leaving to check out 6's screen. Deciding that those two are in capable hands I get up. I look at the screens as I cross, one and two show the same; The Careers arguing over whether a type of nut that seems to be in abundance is poisonous. Cashmere and Brutus are convinced it's fine, Enobaria and Gloss however, are certain that it's poisonous. I hope Gloss and Enobaria are right and that Brutus is just too stupid to listen to them. I know that sounds awful, but he's the one who could take out Katniss and Peeta easily so it's for the greater good. At three, it's Wiress's mumbling face and Beetee, unconscious but still alive as Blight tries to stanch the blood coming from his back. Four is the same as mine.  
>"Maybe they did a better job than they thought." infers Katniss, directing the attention to the Capitol doctors now, which I'm sure was one of her intentions.<br>Five is the same as the live screen, but now, as in halfway around the room, I see why Delia was cut away.

She's moved from Woof now, his arms are now by his side and his legs aren't sprawled on the sand. He could be asleep. Now, she kneels by Leia, blood slowly trickling out from her temple. First, she moves Leia's arms and legs. Then, since her eyes are already closed she gently pulls her chin so she's facing the white sky. Then very gently, Delia kisses her forehead. That's why they cut away. This aging, drug addicted tribute has shown compassion, more than anybody else has and nobody but us will ever realize it.

"She was always such a sweetie." says Catherine sadly, but with adoration ad if she were talking about her younger siblings that await for her back in district six.

She does the same with the others, Felix, Olea, Surge and her partner: Edgar who had been the only who dies in the water to be brought to the shore by the tide. But after she's closed his eyes and arranged his limbs as if he was sleeping, kisses his forehead she does one more thing. Kneeling by the body she leans forward and gives him a feeble hug. If you really focus you can see tears building inside the glassy eyes.  
>Unknowingly, I lean on the back of Ezra's chair. It tips backwards slightly, making him jump, he turns and I get off, crossing my arms on my chest. He gives the small group who has formed a small smile. The small group is myself, Amandla, Harlem, Paisley, Gerard, Talbot and surprisingly Lyme. Those of us who caught the smile return it but it doesn't last long.<p>

Delia is back on the live screen now. She jerks away from Edgar, surprised and hurt. Standing, she raises her hand, it's the little white crabs. There's only two, but their little legs have already sliced her hand. Quickly, she shakes them off and they fly away into the water where more crabs are floating at the surface waiting to crawl on land. But they don't get the chance. She runs away from the cornucopia then, but not before looking around at the fallen once more and mouthing a silent goodbye. This wasn't supporting rebellion. It was giving you a warning of what would happen if you tried.

Delia running off seems to have broken us out of our haze, silently we trickle away. Lyme returns to her spot next to Hunter who is giving her a dirty look. Talbot returns to Brynn who seems to be waging intently Samule threads his way through the trees. Paisley,Gerard, Amandla and Harlem have no tributes left, two off the three screen in their sections are black. They don't go and sit down where the screens would mock them, instead they head to the well stocked food table even though I'm sure they can't stomach one bite. I follow them after a brief glance at Mags's screen shows that they're just walking through the jungle slowly. Usually slow would worry me. But after Peeta's brief visit to the afterlife I'm glad and if anything happens Kelton and Kaia would surely make a fuss. It wouldn't go unnoticed so I don't feel guilty for drifting over to the table along with them to get a drink.

"I'm sorry." I sighed as I picked up a glass. I know sorry won't over it but it's the best I got.  
>"Thank you," whispers Paisley as she picks up a vine of grapes. "But it's Sophianna, Callum and Ivan I feel bad for."<br>Cecilia's children Sophianna, Callum and Ivan. They just watched their mother die on live TV people are probably celebrating this death. Not knowing that this lady had a family who was now shattered.  
>Nobody has anything to say to that, awkwardly I take a sip of my drink. The alcohol is welcomed, very much so. All of this is too much to handle sober. But I'd made a promise and even if I hadn't I would still be sober and trying my best to get those two out of the arena while they were still breathing.<br>"Lucky Thing, with Peeta," says Harlem, his gravely voice is laced with jealousy. He reaches for a cracker with some fancy cheese on it; he chews it with his eyes locked on mine. His subtle glare makes me cringe, it wasn't fair, that's what he's trying to say.  
>"Um, yea. Lucky Finnick was there really. Lucky he felt like keeping his promise." Harlem huffs and brushes cracker crumbs out of his stubble.<br>"We did make promises." it seems like he's saying this more to himself than me. Reminding him that he shouldn't bare ill will on me, his tributes promised too, can't convict me for that.  
>I glance at the clock, five o'clock.<br>"Haymitch," calls Kaia, "I think they're making camp." I turn from the food table towards my screens and it does look like they're making camp.

* * *

><p>"So we're not going to send water?" asks Kelton, looking at the sum of money that we got by adding what Katniss, Peeta, Finnick and the tiny amount which Mags has been sponsored together. The lump sum is enough to feed district twelve for about two to four months.<br>"No," I tell him. "They can find it themselves."  
>"I think Brutus is the only one who would stab his weapon in a tree and accidentally find water." he says, referring to earlier when Brutus got aggravated at the apparent lack of fresh water and stabbed a spear into the trunk of a huge tree. Effectively ending his rant as water started to trickle from the tree.<br>"Well it won't be an accident." I tell him, bringing up the gift selection screen that shows up in the same place where the vitals.  
>"You think they're going to know?" Kaia asks from her spot by the wall, she just leans there, too stubborn to ask for a chair and too selfless to take one of ours even though she's been standing for almost two hours.<br>"I hope so, Katniss might." I say, selecting what I wish to send. "It's the gift that'll keep on giving." I tell them as they lean in.  
>"What is it?" Asks Kaia.<br>"A spile," I answer. "It's like a straw. You put it in a tree and if there's sap or in this case, water, inside it will just flow like a tap."  
>"Okay," they relent. I select the spile, it barely makes a dent in the sponsors money and I was just about to send it when the anthem starts to blare. My fingers hover over the send button as the faces of my friends light up the screen.<p>

Surge, whose solid build was wearing away and face starting to show the signs of an alcoholic, He was the first face to show up. Across the room, Reno is sobbing quietly whist Damien rubs soothing circles on her back. When the male morphling appears, the same goes by at six. But I would swear that Catherine was not the only one shedding the tears in six.  
>Then Woof and Cecilia. An old man at the end and a young woman with everything to live for waiting back home. Cecilia's death is one of the hardest; almost all of us have met her kids. We all know how kind she is, we all know she didn't deserve to die.<br>Next Leia, Felix and Olea District nine and ten, victors who had enough luck to be able to slip through the cracks and do whatever the he'll they wanted to do with their life. Until of course now, when the option of living was taken away.  
>Finally Seeder. Seeder, who had been like a mother or a close, protective sister, all depending on your age. Over in font of Seeders dark screen Barley went to wrap Leslie up in a hug, but she shook him off. Bringing her knees up to her chin and wrapping her arms around them. She glares at the screen; tears of frustration, not sadness were the ones going down her face.<p>

It's a while after her face finally disappears that I remember the spile. Shaking off my slight depression I hit the send button. Moments later it descends into their camp.  
>"Whose is it do you think?" asks Katniss.<br>Finnick shrugs "No telling, why don't we let Peeta claim it," he decides. "Since he died today?" nobody has any objections to that so it goes to Peeta. Quietly, Kelton, Kaia and I watch the screen crossing our fingers that somebody will know what it is. When Katniss lays eyes on it I see recognition pass over her features. But soon I realize she only recognizes the form, no inkling of recognition for its purpose.  
>"What is it?" She asks. Nobody knows, Peeta tries to use it as a whistle. No luck, obviously. Finnick tries to use it as a weapon by placing it on the only finger it would fit on, his pinkie but I don't think death by spile will be happening anytime soon.<br>" Can you fish with it Mags?" asks Katniss.  
>"You can get something a little better than fish with this, sweetheart. C'mon use your brain if you have one. What is it?" I say to the screen,<br>"How are some miner children and fisher-people supposed to know what a spile is?" asks Kaia as the group tries out more possibilities to find the _oh so elusive_ purpose of the spile.  
>"Katniss hunted with her dad all the time. I remember seeing him selling syrup on occasion at the Hob." I tell them. "She's seen one before, I know it."<br>" I give up," she says, not exactly fortifying my previous argument. "Maybe if we hook up with Beetee or Wiress they can figure it out."  
>I huff, leaning back in my chair.<br>"Should we send water now?" asks Kelton, already bringing it up on the sponsor screen. He thinks I'm easily going to accept defeat. Ha!  
>"No," I say, cancelling him out of the order. "They'll figure it out."<p>

And they do. Once Katniss has named the object, described what it's intended for they go to work and us three mentors relax as we are assured that our tributes will not die of dehydration.  
>Once they get a steady steam going they each take turns gulping at the water. Mags goes and retrieves her tightly woven bowls for the water. They drink some more and as a luxury wash their faces. Then once their thirsts are quenched they retire for the night with Finnick staying awake as guard.<br>"I think I'm going to try and sleep now." says Kelton. Getting up from his chair. Kaia gets up too and moves into the chair from her spot on the wall.  
>"Well wake you if anything happens," she assures him as he makes his way to the sleeping area behind district four's live screen. I look around the room as the mentors who are still here and awake watch the tributes settle in for the night.<br>The sections for Seven, Eight and Nine are empty. Spicer is sitting in district four's chair so he can talk with the mentors of the tributes Johanna and Blight are allied with. I believe Amandla and Gerard left, not in the mood to stay here once their friends were gone. Paisley and Harlem are still here, sleeping though. I don't know why, it seems a little twisted. In the years before Katniss and Peeta I would book it from this spot to get away from the glaring black screens that kept reminding me that two more kids had died. But to each their own...  
>Katniss had asked Finnick to wake her up when he was tired but he never did. Only when twelve tolls of something sounded throughout the arena does she wake up.<br>"Mean anything, do you think?" she asks him.  
>"No idea" he says as a small distance away a fork of lightning hits a tree.<p>

There's a gasp, and I look up at the live screen. Skylar was nearly fried by a second bolt of lightning as she was roused by the crackle of the first. Startled, she jumps up and starts to run, still rubbing sleep from her eyes. She looks up to the sky, waiting for rain to follow but all she gets is more lightning, each one closer and closer to her but never touching.

"go to sleep, Finnick. It my turn to watch, anyway." says Katniss as Skylar continues to run through the lightning. Finnick hesitates for a moment then relents and goes to sleep. Quietly, she strings her bow and watches the numerous forks of lightning, waiting for them to come closer. But they don't.

On the screen Skylar is still running away from the lighting. She looks as if she's about to pass out but suddenly the lighting stops ascending. As if some force field is containing it. She stops and sits down breathing heavily as she watches the lightning crackle and hit the ground only meters from her feet where it seems to be halted. The lightning continues for about another half an hour then shuts off. As if somebody has switched it of and then turned on the rain that has just started.

But it wasn't rain, you can tell as soon as the camera swoops in on Johanna, Blight, Beetee and Wiress. It's not water like they had thought and hoped, it was blood. The four of them were almost unrecognizable already. Johanna's short hair was caked with blood and it was running down her face. It coated Beetee in fresh blood since they had been unable to stop Beetee from bleeding from his wound. Blight had Beetee slung over his shoulders, piggy back style. The blood was making his grip falter.  
>Wiress was indifferent. She just walked along behind Johanna, muttering. Occasionally she spit. The blood was raining down and going into their mouths. Johanna is trying to tell something to Blight but the blood rain is running into his ears and he can't hear her. She tries to run but then she remembers Wiress.<br>They're all covered in blood now, up ahead Blight seems to be choking on it, his body keeps shaking with coughs.  
>"I think you should go get Kelton," I advise Kaia, I think this might count as something that you should wake a person for.<p>

The camera goes tight on Blights face, he _is_ choking. He drops Beetee to the ground, Johanna hears that and turns. Blights double over now he has his hands on his knees. Johanna runs over, disregarding Wiress but before she can help blight he takes a step forward.  
>That's when he hits the force field.<br>Like Peeta he flies backwards. He takes Johanna down and then she's stuck under him with the blood pouring down on her.  
>"What's happening?" mumbles a worried and groggy Kelton. I don't answer, nor does anybody else in the room.<br>Wiress saw what happened and is gazing at Blight, still muttering. Johanna pulls herself out from under Blight. To her horror he doesn't move,  
>"Blight!" she coughs, as the blood penetrates her mouth. "Blight!" chokes. He doesn't respond so she slaps him across the face. "Get up, idiot!" she says as a last attempt but it doesn't work. He's dead. And there's the cannon and the black screen at Seven to prove it.<br>"Spicer," mumbles Wanda. "I'm sorry." he doesn't answer, he's looking a Johanna wondering what she's going to do.  
>Johanna's blood encrusted face doesn't show much emotion if you didn't know where to look. But if you look right between her eyebrows you can see the muscles tense and that always gives her away. Her eyes shut and her eyebrows move towards each other slightly. She would cry right now if she could. I can tell. She would cry, scream kick, kill and cuss.<br>But she doesn't, not when she is supposed to be the unfazable Johanna Mason. Quickly she grabs Beetee and snaps at Wiress and they keep moving. Johanna slips with Beetee in the pools of blood but she keeps going until when she turns her head back, she can't see Blight's blood covered body.  
>The silence in the room is pregnant with consolations that we all wish to say, but like earlier, there isn't really anything to say that could compensate.<br>The live screen is now Katniss, who is on alert because of the cannon. Her eyes are combing her surrounding but nothing lethal comes for a while.  
>Even when it came it didn't look lethal. It just looked like fog. But once it started blistering any flesh it touched we knew this wasn't regular fog.<p>

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><p><strong>This chapter was just shy of 5000 words. Gosh…. Thats a lot.<strong>

**So review if you please!**


	19. Chapter 19: Goodbye, Grandmother

**Happy Easter Weekend! Just so you all know I've started another story. I am by no means abandoning this one, I just need some variation so yea...  
>I don't own the Hunger Games and I hope you enjoy!<strong>

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><p>"Run!" Katniss screams effectively cutting through the night time silence of the Mentor's room. Some mentors who had dosed off jerked awake at the sound. "Run!"<br>Like the good ally he is, Finnick is alert and ready to fight in a nanosecond. The only thing he is lacking is a physical opponent _to_ fight. Very quickly, before Peeta is even aware of what's going on, he's realized what has Katniss on red-alert and hoists the still sleeping Mags into his arms and starts running. Katniss grabs Peeta now, and starts to run behind Finnick.  
>"What is it? What is it?" says Peeta as he stumbles through the trees.<br>"What _is_ that?" I echo leaning in and squinting at the screen. I run though a mental list of chemicals that could be in this fog; unfortunately there are quite a few corrosive chemicals out there.  
>They keep running, or try to. No matter how hard Peeta will try to insist he's fine it'll just be empty words. He has absolutely nothing to back it up with, each breath is ragged and raspy, each step is slower than the last so with each step the fog gets closer and causes more blisters that I would rather avoid. Peeta's slow feet are getting caught in the vines and leaves, tripping him and by relation, Katniss.<br>Many a time I suck in my breath, certain that on screen, Peeta and Katniss were nearing their last.  
>In the midst of everything, Kaia had run back to the screens for Mags and Finnick since they, to put it bluntly, abandoned the star crossed lovers. Kelton was still in the seat next to me, albeit a tad groggy, but it was somebody none the less.<p>

Obviously, this is on live right now. Finnick, navigating through the forest with old Mags and then Katniss, struggling to get her beau to safety.  
>"Watch my feet." she advises. "Just try to step where I step." luckily, it works better than how their previous system was. But that method wasn't too great to begin with so really it's still not great. The fog is still coming; it's now burned away at the blue suits, making it resemble that holy cheese that's at the food table. And I'm not sure whether it's me or what, but it looks like their turning into blobs. It doesn't seem like their bodies are working as well as they should.<br>Suddenly, the screen swoops in on Finnick who's just glanced back to see Katniss and Peeta stumbling through the vines.  
>"C'mon!" he calls, "Only a little farther and faster! You can do it!" being halted, the fog has had an opportunity to get to his flesh; his suit is melting away now to reveal new blisters. He continues to shout encouragement, his voice acting as a pulley for the two.<br>Then Peeta's leg gets caught. Why is he making it so damn difficult to keep him alive? It's just one after the other. It's Katniss that comes to the rescue this time, lifting him up only to see his face and have a new wave of worry crash over her. Half if Peeta's face has sagged as if he is having a stroke, he can't move it, can't control it.  
>Shit... It's not just corrosive.<br>I run through the list again, corrosive and attacks the nerves. But concentrated to cause this much damage this fast. A mutation chemical. Just great.  
>"Peeta," Katniss tries to say but is then cut off when the nerves start to fail in her arms.<br>Now realizing just how perilous this is she pulls Peeta forward, only succeeding in pulling him down again. He gets up again, but now he's doing some weird-puppet-like jerky walking.  
>"That's going to kill them if they don't move," Kelton warns me. "That's what got Madele."<p>

Madele had been Kelton's district partner. Not a career by a long shot. Kelton was though and he'd made the career pack take her that year. He wouldn't let them kill her. Her family was all Careers she'd had two brothers and a sister who could have volunteered but they didn't. I guess they thought they'd be better off without her. Kelton thought it would be worth it just to send her home to her family who thought she would be bloodbath. But obviously, that plan didn't work.

"Move it!" I urged them. "I'm not letting you get eaten by fog."  
>Clearly, Finnick is thinking along the same lines. He's pulling Peeta forward now, which initially had caught Katniss off guard but now she's gotten her shoulder under Peeta's arm and is attempting to keep up with him.<br>"It's no good." he states "I'll have to carry him. Can you take Mags?"  
>"Yes." she says. Even though I'm positive she can't. But still, she let's Mags climb onto her shoulder and they begin to run.<br>She follows Finnick, whose moving at a diagonal now to get to the water with Peeta on his shoulders. I bet you're glad you didn't kill him now, sweetheart.  
>"She can't carry her much longer." I warn as Kaia runs over. The whole room is awake and looking at us now watching what could be the end of this rebellion unfold. I was right, within seconds of my warning Katniss begins to fall. Her legs are going stiff, and she falls twice before her leg completely fails her. Mags rolls off in front of Katniss who is trying to right herself with the use of vines.<br>"It's no use," Katniss says as Finnick returns again. "Can't you take them both? Go on ahead, I'll catch up."  
>"She's lying isn't she, Haymitch?" Kelton asks sombrely, he doesn't want a confirmation but I nod anyway.<br>"She'd want Peeta saved." I say, trying to compensate.  
>"No," Finnick says on screen. "I can't carry them both. My arms aren't working." his voice floats through the room, delivering the unwanted news to all of us. We might just loose two tonight. "I'm sorry Mags. I can't do it."<p>

What happens next is so fast it doesn't even make the full impact until Katniss has righted herself again and has starting dragging herself after Finnick.  
>Mags, sweet, grandmotherly, Mags gets up off the ground, seemingly unaffected by the fog. She hobbles up to Finnick; even on the screen his eyes are bright and shimmery with tears. She kisses him, right on the lips. It's like a tease, saying I'll always be there for you. But the next moment she limps away into the fog. Maybe it would have been easier if it had been fast or maybe it would have just made us more numb. But numb would have been better than the heartbreak we all, even One and Two, felt as Mags, consumed by the fog but still visible started jerking soundless as the seizures racked her old body until she slumped to the ground. Mags was gone.<p>

If you could hear a heart breaking we all would have just gone deaf.

Kaia, who just slid down the wall, is now sitting on the floor with a shocked expression. The seconds later, the tears come. She just sits there; her hands run through her hair as if she's trying to somehow cleanse herself of what she just saw. He knees are up by her chest likes she's trying to hold herself in. That's what grief looks like.  
>Kelton moves from his chair and down to the floor where Kaia is. He stars to wrap his arms around her, not in a loving way, there's no time nor would this be the appropriate time to make a move. He starts to console her, but consolation works best when the person consoling you isn't in need of comfort themselves.<br>In silence we watched this play out as similar situations broke out around the room. Over by five, Reno held Damien who was a head shorter than her, they were both sad, it was like watching a mother comfort her child. Catherine sat stoically in her seat, eyes fixed on something only she could see in the sadness that drapes over our room. The careers were quiet as a sign of respect. Nobody had disliked Mags, hell; I don't think there was anybody who didn't love Mags. She'd been there for all of us, even Woof. The one constant we'd always had. She was the grandmother of the group, you couldn't doubt that. Those who had been sleeping when Katniss's cries had woken them went back to bed, probably to be alone with their shock and sadness.

And me? I wasn't even facing Katniss and Peeta's individual screens. I could see them though on the live screen in four they were on a beach gasping like fish out of water. But that wasn't what I was looking at. It was the black screen under it. Mags was gone. It just seemed so strange. I felt so wrong. I had asked for them to help Katniss and Peeta get out. They had agreed. Now Mags was gone. Mags had helped everyone and never asked for anything in return now the best I'd done to thank her was asking her to do that one last favour that ended up ending her.  
>"<p>

Don't feel like a dick." Kelton chides, blocking my view of the black screen.

"She died because I asked her to." I point out.  
>"Do you realize how old she was?"<br>_Was_. Pass tense. "She was in her eighties."  
>"And?" I ask.<br>"She was way older than anybody expected. She'd survived one stroke already but we all knew she wouldn't survive much else. The least she could have done and this is what she wanted," he reminds me "was not to die comfortably in a bed but help out Katniss and Peeta and know that her last act was going to make a contribution to this rebellion." he just stares down at me for a moment, making sure I understand. I do.  
>"Where's Kaia?" I ask.<br>"She left for a bit. The blank screens were too much right now. She'll be back soon." he assures me. "Technically, she doesn't even need to be here any more."  
>"You don't seem that upset." I notice as I turn my back to him so I can face the screen. Katniss is in the water now. It looks like the water is acting as a sponge leeching out the poison.<br>"Mags wouldn't want me to be. I'm trying my best but I'm screaming inside." he says candidly. "She is family, always will be." I don't know what to say to this, in the last couple minutes, Kelton has revealed more emotion than he ever does in a year. What are you supposed to say to that?

_I_ say nothing. Now, I focus on the screen, Katniss is now bathing herself in the water, around her tiny wisps of white are seeping out of her skin. Not to long after, Peeta joins her and once they are cleaned they turned to Finnick who had been prone since he collapsed on the beach unable or, more likely, unwilling to move.  
>Slowly, Peeta and Katniss cup the water in their hands and move towards Finnick. Peeta cuts away at the jumpsuit, not that the slice made any different, and they start to pour the water onto his body. When the water hits and the fog starts to dispel from his body he moans.<br>When the moans continue, Katniss starts to look around, worried that the sounds will attract unwanted visitors. But it hasn't yet.

"We've got to get more of him into the water." Katniss whispers. Peeta agrees, but then they notice that if they were to drag him into the water right now he'd be in there head first. And Finnick doesn't look like he has the energy to lift his head up if he started to drown. So, to fix the problem, they drag him one hundred and eighty degrees so he will now go in feet first. It's heartbreakingly pathetic how he's not even making an effort to do anything as these two manipulate him like a rag doll.  
>Bit by bit he goes into the water as the star crossed lovers sit by him. The water seems to be working wonders because I slowly see Peeta's face turn normal and Katniss starts to look less groggy. Finally, Finnick becomes mobile and lifts his arms above the water.<br>"There's just your head left, Finnick. That's the worst part, but you'll feel much better after, if you can bear it." Peeta says deciding that since he can move his arms he can purge himself.  
>They help him sit and they clutch his hands as he rids his eyes, nose and mouth of the poison.<br>"I'm going to try to tap a tree," Katniss announces once Finnick is cleansed.  
>"Let me make the hole first," Peeta asks. "You stay with him. You're the healer."<p>

_That's a joke_, I want to say. _She can't handle blood or nudity and you know that._ But I decide against it since I don't think my companion is in the mood for jokes. Nor am I really, it just seems inappropriate.  
>Peeta leaves and then Katniss is left alone with the haggard looking Finnick. Katniss, I can tell, is itching to talk about Mags. But surprisingly she holds her tongue, instead going to salvage what she can of her things.<br>The Mockingjay pin obviously is the first to be put back onto her undershirt. I was worried she would leave the belt behind even though it looked fine but she takes it_. You never know, sweetheart_. It's her hair next. It's been thinned out quite at bit but not so much that she can't put it back in the signature braid.  
>She's still in the water with Finnick when he starts to swim. And I mean swim. Not doggy paddle like most of the other tributes had done when they had needed to get to the cornucopia. "It's like a ribbon just whipping and twirling through the water." That's what Effie said when a clip from his Games showed him in the water.<p>

On the outside he looks quite content, but I guess when you work in the business Finnick does you learn to mask your emotions very well. But if we were just going for the exterior appearance you might just think that things were getting better and from here you could only get better.  
><em>Har Har<em>, I wish.

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><p><strong>OH MY! i just realised that the next chapter shall be chapter 20! WHAT IS THIS MAGIC?<strong>

**So, next chapter should take along the same amount of time give or take (probably give) cause it's end of term for my school and there's a lot of things I need to get done.  
>But reviews are motivation! So leave me a review to tell me what you think!<strong>


	20. Chapter 20: Gifts

**Chapter 20? What is this magic? I could have sworn I started this story two weeks ago! And 45k words is quite a lot. A lot more than I thought I could string together into a story people would actually enjoy. So I want to thank all of you who are still faithfully reading this and reviewing as much as you can! **

**If anybody has tumblr you should follow my Hunger Games blog. Or if you like The Mortal Instruments/ Infernal Devices I have a blog for that too!  
>The Hunger Games: .<strong>**  
>The Mortal Instruments Infernal Devices: .com**

**I don't own the Hunger Games!**

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><p>Before anybody can do anything, the ugly orange monkey has it's fangs berried deep into Delia's chest. Peeta is right behind the monkey, stabbing at it until it releases it's grip. The damage is done, but the monkeys may not be.<br>"Come on, then!" shouts Peeta, enraged at the Monkeys. "Come on!" he urges, this is the first time I have seen him like this. This is usually level headed Peeta quivering with rage whilst normally hot-headed Katniss is containing her emotions.  
>"Get her," she tells him. "We'll cover you." Gingerly, he picks her up and moves her the few feet towards the beach. Katniss and Finnick follow, weapons ready even though the Gamemakers have called off all the living beasts. This worries me; the incidents only seem to stop once another tribute is dead, or close to it.<br>"What's going on?" it's Kaia, who's just returned after she had to leave after Mags died. She's looking around the room from her spot in the doorway next to me. She can tell what's happened by everyone's faces. She's just straining to find a face that says that everything is okay. She's not going to find that here.  
>"Delia, now." sighs Catherine.<br>"All this is hard to handle at three thirty in the morning." Kaia sniffs, but she's all cried out. I look at the clock and I can't believe it. First the lighting, the blood rain that got Blight, the fog that got Mags and the monkeys that just got Delia. We're only on the brink of the fifth hour of day two and four could-be deadly things have happened.  
>The top of Delia's suit is open now, displaying four puncture wounds. They don't look to bad, but I haven't heard of a mutt yet who didn't have some sort of poison. The real damage right now is invisible.<br>Delia just gasps, trying to get air. She looks awful, starved, papery and green from the morphling and recent lack of it.  
>"I'll watch the trees," says Finnick, distancing himself from another goodbye. I see Katniss wishing she could move, but while she wishes to get away, she's not cruel. She's not cruel enough to pry the morphlings fingers from around her hand, to abandon her when she's dying.<br>Peeta is on Delia's other side, stroking her hair. He speaks in a soft voice

"With my paint box at home, I can make every colour imaginable. Pink." he says. I look to district six's station; to see how they're interpreting Peeta's kindness to somebody he doesn't even know. "As pale as a baby's skin. Or as deep as rhubarb. Green like spring grass. Blue that shimmers like ice on water." suddenly, we all snap out of our sadness as it is turned to annoyance and fury. The live screen, where Delia's last moments were being show is now on Chaff, who's eating some nuts and berries. Right now I find this extremely annoying. The fact that they drifted off from Delia as she was dying. It was disrespectful. I was just about to refocus on Peeta's screen. When I saw a flash of orange a few feet behind Chaff. He heard the rustle of movement behind him and turned slightly. I can't tell if he saw but he get us and starts moving, just in case.  
>"I haven't figured out a rainbow yet." Peeta says "They come so quickly and leave so soon. I never have enough time to capture them. Just a bit of blue here or purple there. And then they fade away again. Back into the air." she lifts a trembling hand and draws a flower on Peeta's cheek as a purely animal shriek is blasted through the speakers. Now, instead of being holed up in Six and Twelve's area some rush to where Leslie and Barley are sitting ramrod straight in their seats. Chaff kills two monkeys before they get to close. But as he runs one scrapes his claws along Chaff's thigh. He stumbles and falls, sprawled three feet in front of the monkeys. But they don't attack. They just sit, gazing at him, unable to go any further.<br>"Thank you. That looks beautiful." Peeta says about the primitive blood drawing on his cheek. For a moment Delia's huge childlike eyes are filled with pride, then, very quickly she dies. The two are silent for a moment then Peeta carries her to the water where she begins to float away for the hover craft to get her.

Across the room I hear the springs in a chair grain as somebody stands up. It's Catherine, leaving Ezra to tend to, well nothing now. Slowly she opens the door to the sleeping quarters and steps inside. When she closes the door there is a loud bang and the wall shakes. I think she just kicked the wall. Ezra just sighs and leans back slightly in his chair, eyes closed. He knew it was coming. He knew she would die. It's still going to hurt though.  
>When Peeta returns from the water Finnick mimics him, since he's clear of anymore unwanted emotion. But he's brought something.<br>"Thought you might want these." he says, holding out some of Katniss's arrows that still have mutt blood on them.  
>"Thanks." She says, taking them then wading into the shallows to clean off the gore. Katniss: Since the arrows are a prized possession she also has to dry them off. So, remembering what Mags and done earlier she goes to the fringe of the jungle to collect some moss. She looks around and notices that the bodies killed by her now clean weapons have vanished.<br>"Where did they go?" she asks as she returns to the camp.  
>"We don't know exactly." Finnick confesses "The vines shifted and they were gone."<br>They stare into the jungle now. It looks as if they're all contemplating some philosophic phrase or something.

"Day three. Twelve at night." whispers Kaia.  
>"What?" I ask.<br>"I ran in to Plutarch. Day three. Twelve. That when were trusting Beetee to blow the field." she whispers. I nod. Relieved that we don't have to wait a week like a feared we would. Less than a day, I try to tell myself. No more than two days. We can keep them alive until then. They can't obliterate us all in just a few hours.  
><em>What the he'll are you trying to convince yourself, Haymitch? They could flip a switch and we'd all be dead.<br>_We have only a few hours and if Snow gets wind of this he can give the orders to have everybody killed. It wouldn't help having Plutarch as head. He would need to take the orders or he would die. And if he died, dear old President Snow would just step in. No stopping it. Unlike with a breakout date set a week away, we have no wiggle room-not that there would be much anyway, like I said flip of a switch. We can't bring the timing forward suddenly because it will take a nice chunk of the remaining hours to sort out Beetee's plan.  
>"Better tell three that." I whisper. "They're the one who need to send the bread." send the bread. That's how were telling them what time.<br>The screen pans from the Careers, who, from the Capitol's point of view are one of the most boring Career packs yet. It goes to Chaff, who's busily dressing the claw marks on the back of his leg with some leaves from a water tree as bandages. Two quick shots of Skylar and Samule. Samule hasn't found water yet. Brynn and Talbot have been arguing quietly for a while now. Samule didn't have many sponsors to begin with when he had his own Games, now when pinned up against the well know killers that the careers are that already small number is even smaller. So small, that water would leave enough for only some crumbs.  
>I'd be more than willing to sift some money over but since that shows camaraderie between Victors it's not allowed. I might get rid of the money another way though. On the two tiny screens in front of me the three allies have started scratching at the scabs that I'm assuming are a result of the fog and not an allergic reaction.<br>"Don't scratch. You'll only bring on infection." she tells them. She's the only one who could say that without being contradicted because Peeta and Finnick are screening relentlessly. "You think it's safe to try for the water again?"

_You think the monkeys are gone?_ Is what she really means. Nobody really knows but they go back anyways and wash the water over their sores and drink. Thinking ahead the grab some shells and fill them up like cups.

When the sit back on the beach Katniss suggests a nap for the two males, insisting she'll take watch.  
>"No, Katniss, I'd rather." she looks at his face. She's wondering if he's going to try and kill them while they sleep. She finds none of that, only sorrow. She knows, and I know. It's not for lack of fatigue that he's taking guard but because he just wants whatever alone time he can get.<br>"This is the only time we should be grateful that the Gamemakers won't let anybody see that they care about the other tributes. They'll leave you alone to mourn." the table shudders slightly as a glass of some type of alcohol-beer- is placed there by Spicer.  
>"You do have a point and thank you." I add. Then I realize I should probably add something else. "Sorry about Blight."<br>"Thank you. Mags too." he says directing the comment towards Kaia. "But you," he turns back to me and by his choice of words I'm worried I'm in trouble. I grab the beer and take a sip. "Johanna is trying. She is trying to get Beetee and Wiress to Katniss like she wanted."  
>"I know. Don't worry about it. You can't control what happens in the arena from here." like she wanted. <em>Yeah<em>, Katniss wanted Nuts and Volts but not Johanna which was something I hadn't informed her mentor. But she should know, package deal. Just like her and Peeta.  
>"I think Finnick would be glad to see Johanna." states Kaia forlornly.<br>"Let's hope they get there soon." I say, as the live screen shows Wiress and Johanna with Beetee slung over he back as they stumble through the woods. But that's now what my comment was directed towards; it was to Finnick, who in the upper right hand corner of Katniss's screen was crying his heart out. Pretty boy of Panem had his head in his hands and self-image out the metaphorical window. If anybody needed a shoulder to cry on right now it was him.

Eventually though, he pulled himself together and made bowls like Mags had taught him after he won his Games and when he first started his appointments to distract him from everything. He made three, filled two with water and one with shellfish. He was cracking them open with a rock and eating them when Katniss woke up.  
>Katniss sees the food and reaches for it but stops when she sees the blood under her fingers. Hypocritical girl, she was scratching in her sleep.<p>

"You know, if you scratch you'll bring on infection." he quotes. I slosh a little of my drink-now just water- over the side as I stutter a laugh.  
>"That's what I've heard," she says. Then she goes to wash off in the ocean and I remember my plan for the money. Quickly, I dot even consult Kaia since I know she'll agree I select some ointment that promises to fix they're itches. I click the send button and then I hear my name.<br>"Hey, Haymitch, if you're not too drunk, we could use a little something for our skin."  
>I'm very glad I'd already hit the send button because that just proves that one, I am not that drunk, thank you very much, sweetheart for your confidence in my willpower. Also, that I do, contrary to her popular belief, think ahead. More than her with her rash actions at least.<br>"About time." she mutters, even though I know she can't be that aggravated with me.

"What the hell?" mutters Kelton as he emerges from his nap. All across the room on the live screens it shows our tributes that, because of the ointment and its dark pigment, have turn a very repulsive shade of green.  
>"Itching cream." Kaia explains, moving her petite body over to make room for Kelton's broader one.<br>"They look-" He's searching do the word.  
>"Discoloured?" I offer<br>"We can go with that." he says.  
>"Poor Finnick, is this the first time in you life you haven't been pretty?" Katniss mocks.<br>"Must be," he says. "The sensation is completely new. How have you managed it all these years?" he gets a good laugh at this.  
>"Just avoid mirrors." Katniss advises. "You'll forget about it."<br>"Not if I keep looking at you."  
>This comment gets an even bigger laugh. Finnick has made a complete one-eighty from a couple of hours ago. Sobbing to joking around in a very precarious situation.<br>"I think we should send Finnick a little bit of normalcy." Kelton proposes.  
>"How in the world could you do that when he's in the Games?" asks Kaia, turning in her chair as Kelton moves to the District Four sponsor screen. He taps a few things on the touch screen then tells us his intention.<br>"Bread," he announces.  
>"You're going to confuse him," I mutter. In the arena Katniss and Finnick- after suggesting a funny little prank- are going to wake Peeta.<br>"You should send it though." Kaia agrees.  
>"I never said you shouldn't." I clarify as Katniss starts saying Peeta's name in a sugary-sweet voice while she and Finnick have their faces mere inches from Peeta's. When he takes in their faces he jumps as if they've just impaled him with Finnicks trident. The two jokesters start to laugh, Peeta tries to maintain a disdainful expression and Kelton sends the bread.<p>

When the parachute appears I can see that Katniss figures out one of the "messages" behind the bread. _Be friends with Finnick. You'll get food._ But Finnick understand the other side of this potential double entendre. He surveys the bread, turning it in his hands possessively. _Four_, he's probably thinking, _one_. I feel kind of bad misleading him but it is really not that big of a deal when you think about it.  
>For a few more hours they stay on the beach. I've noticed that throughout the early hours of the day the menacing obstacles have stayed in the jungle. Nothing has touched the sand. District four and I had a scare though, just after Seven, the Careers had been stalking through the woods when Cashmere's right leg was suddenly hip deep in a patch of quicksand that had just materialized. Finnick, Peeta and Katniss were surrounded by sand, there would be no footholds or people who still had stable footing to get you up. The beach had stayed the same though and Gloss had grabbed his sister and the Careers had weaves their way through the quicksand and out of trouble. It ha caused quite a hubbub in the Career section of the Mentor room when it happened. God forbid one of <em>their<em> tributes got hurt.  
>It was only a couple hours later when we did loose somebody. It was Samule. How ironic that hours earlier Brynn and Talbot had been debating on whether or not to send water and now here it was. He a lot of it was. Here was a tidal wave, if you wanted to be specific. Also, joining the "party" was the razor crabs.<p>

The sadistic Gamemakers had Samule on the live screen the frame was tight, you could see each cut. They moved faster than they had on Seeder and quickly they were attacking his eyes. He screamed as the wave came close he tried to run. But opening his mouth had been the mistake. The cameras zoomed in on his mouth, the crabs had invaded there now, they didn't clog which was the most disturbing part, the only explanation was that they were crawling down his throat. The wave crashed down, a huge roaring monster that claimed whatever it wanted. Then the canon fired. Then District Ten's screens were dark. I was left with the image of Samule's mouth as the crabs made their way down his throat. I couldn't help but imagine the feeling as their little razor like legs cut their way down your throat. Even imagining the feeling made me want to barf. The whole room blanched; there was a sickening squelching sound as poor old Brynn threw up. Avoxes rushed over, in the commotion we all pulled ourselves back together. As sad as each death was we were becoming less and less responsive to each one. It was like being slapped repeatedly, each one stung but after so many the sting became normal and unnoticeable even though you knew it was there.

I'd been turned around, looking at the scene playing out in Ten. I'd been spinning the chair back when I caught a glimpse of the screens at Seven and Three. If you squinted, and I really had to since I was so far from the screens you could see three Tributes in the distance. Two of them were mine. I turned back towards the screen for a confirmation and I got one. If the three incoming allies being covered in blood wasn't enough you knew once the only Tribute who seemed to be all there sighed exasperatedly and looked over to her conscious ally who was muttering and was walking in circles, she was quite delirious. You knew it was her the moment she shoved over the muttering woman in agitation.

Oh, yes. Johanna Mason had just joined the party.

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><p><strong>There you go. I was wondering if I could ask ya'll a favour? It would mean a lot to me if I made it to 65 reviews with this chapter. I really don't have much to offer as a reward if I do. So this would just be the kindness out of all of your hearts. It only takes a moment.<strong>

**So review on the way out?**


	21. Chapter 21: Unforeseen Issues

**This chapter is shorter than the others simply because I am quite busy right now and a little is better than nothing at all. So I hope you enjoy!  
>I do not own the Hunger Games.<strong>  
><strong>On Haymitch's State of intoxication: I had a reviewer ask me whether Haymitch should be more drunk. My answer to that is no. Like in the 74<strong>**th**** Hunger Games-even more so now- he's more interested in getting the tributes out alive than drink away everything. He has had a few drinks though, but because of his usual consumption they aren't really going to affect him in any way because of his tolerance for alcohol.**

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><p>"Johanna!" Finnick calls, relieved to see a familiar face.<br>"Finnick!" she replies. Finnick has run forward towards Johanna, Wiress and Beetee. My tributes had no real part in this except for some mild confusion when they saw whom Johanna had brought with her.  
>"More allies," predicted Kelton, clapping his hands together. "I propose we congregate on the other side of the room, where our new allies' mentors await. "<br>I agree, since there would actually be enough seats for us over there instead of Kelton and Kaia having to either share a seat or somebody takes the floor. Nobody sits with me for a few reasons, we're not that close and this is my chair. I can prove it too. A couple of years ago during the Games I was eating some food that required a sharp knife of sorts. I'd also been drinking. Then I'd carved Haymitch into the arm of my seat. It looked like I child had done it but I guess a drunk mans handiwork could look a lot like a four-year-old's art project. But I leave my chair behind and take up the unoccupied seat by Spicer in District Seven's little wedge of the room.

Johanna usually sits in it this time of year. Kelton, Kaia, Hector and Wanda are two sections away. Wanda and Hector look stressed to say the least, why wouldn't you? With one tribute (a very important one, I may add) is nearly dead and the other is going around in loopy circles.

"Yeah, well, he wasn't much, but he was from home," Johanna notes about her late district partner. "And he left me alone with these two." she nudges Beetee. "He got a knife in the back at the cornucopia. And her-"  
>"Tick,tock. Tick, tock." comes Wiress's voice of the live speakers. The Careers look up to the live screen and laugh, well, almost all of them. Lyme, considerably the most decent hold her tongue at Wiress's madness.<br>I look to Hector and Wanda, who have their head bent towards one another, probably focussing whether there is anything they can send for Wiress or Beetee with their ample sum of money.  
>On the live screen and six smaller screens in the Mentor's area we see Wiress collide with the not-so-amiable Johanna. In return, Wiress get shoved back down onto the beach. Hector lifts his head from the conversation to send Spicer a condescending look. He sees and squirms awkwardly in his chair.<br>"It's not the best job in the world to be held responsible for Johanna Mason's actions, is it?" I state.  
>"You should understand my pain, Abernathy. You're held responsible for the Mockingjay."<br>"Quite true." I admit to him, then Katniss gives me some new actions that I could be held responsible for.  
>"Lay off her." she snaps.<br>"Lay off her?" Johanna hisses, _oh no_. _Way to go , Sweetheart_. Johanna's words can hurt but her slaps could kill. I'm just lucky Katniss wasn't. The careers let out an obnoxious "ooooooh!" and turn towards Spicer and I as if they're expecting us to be at each others throat like our female tributes are. We're not. We just stare at the screen, waiting out the cat fight.  
>"Who do you think got them out of that bleeding jungle for you? You-" Finnick, sensing that an abundance of foul words and insults were about to spew from Johanna's mouth, tosses Johanna over his shoulder. She doesn't stop her verbal projectiles as she's being dunked in the water, so she just ends up spluttering. Similar to when Peeta and I had to restrain Katniss after Gale was whipped, what was going on right now would be very funny if the context was different.<p>

I can't tell exactly what Katniss and Peeta are saying right now, but I would guess it was something along the lines of why Johanna had Beetee and Wiress. That short exchange was probably because of me. Seeing how I had arranged all these allies and conditions without letting them know a thing. Katniss is probably longing to have a word with me but now she's focusing on Beetee.  
>She starts to wash off the blood from his body, managing to get the blue suit detached from his skin.<p>

"Haymitch Abernathy." I turn around; a very tall, very broad, very uninviting Peacekeeper was the source of the sound.  
>"Yes?" I ask, suddenly very uneasy. <em>What Have I done? <em>I quickly go through everything I could have said or done since the Games started that could have gotten me in trouble. Sadly that is quite a big list.  
>"You must come with me." he states, he towers over me as I sit in my chair, not exactly empowering for me.<br>"I'm kind of busy." I tell him. Who in their right mind would even consider taking a mentor from the Mentor's room while they still had tributes, because I still had tributes and was not leaving.  
>"I have orders." he annunciates every syllable, as his jaw clenches in agitation.<br>"I am too damn occupied to care about your orders!" I go to turn in my chair but a hand stops my chair from turning.  
>"If you care about your tributes you will follow me." the room goes silent. We all are aware that if Snow or The Gamemakers have issues with the Tributes they have every means to kill them, but this is the first time the fact has ever been spoken aloud.<p>

"Go, Haymitch. I'll watch Katniss and Peeta for you." it's Hectors deep gravity voice that finally breaks the silence, then the squeak of my chair as I get up.  
>Another Peacekeeper joins the first as he escorts me from the room, they must be worried I'll make a break for it. As we travel towards the doors all eyes are on me. I can read each face as if it were a billboard one hundred feet wide. They're all wondering if they're ever going to see me again. I get one last blurry look at my screens before I'm swept from the room.<br>The air is still out in the hall, the only thing that moves it are the two Peacekeepers and I. There is one on each side both marginally bigger and in much better shape than myself. If I'd had any ideas of fighting them before they were now squashed. Where are they taking me? To Snow? If they were I'm un-abandoning my plan to fight. I don't care if they're bigger. I'd be more use to everybody as a dead body than one captured by Snow. Let's hope Hector's tribute watching doesn't have a time limit.

We get to a flight of concrete stairs with cold metal railings. There's a door under the ramp of the stairs, against the wall, it would be hard to spot if two Peacekeepers weren't directing you towards it. One Peacekeepre detaches himself from our little formation and unlocks the door. Its quite an intricate system, a code pad that reveals two locks. He's very careful to place the key in the right hole. I'm guessing it's because if you put it in the wrong one there is some kind of booby trap waiting for you.  
>"Go in there." the second one orders. He grabs my arm and shoves me through the door. When I stumble in I am shocked at how much of how much like a jail this room feels like.<br>The walls and floors are all solid grey cement; I see what might be mould in the far corner of the room. There's a little basin in the corner, on the wall above it is a tiny tap. To my left, to beds that are really more like planks with a blanket are mounted to the wall with chains and bolts. The smell of cold and compost meets my nose and I cringe. This is a jail. Or at least a holding room until the Capitol can get to you.  
>But I'm not alone. Sitting on the bed, in his finest work clothes is our ally, head Gamemaker Plutarch Havensbee.<p>

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><p><strong>O.o I wonder what's going on? Not really cause I'm the author. I know whats going to happen! mwahahahaha!<br>On a more serious note: if I want to update weekly, sometimes chapters shall be a little shorter but that is because it's less stress for me to have shorter chapters and you lovely people get to read them sooner rather than later and that makes me happy :)  
>Now go on and <span>review<span> you lovely people!  
><strong>


	22. Chapter 22: Reputation

**I just want to let you all know that there shall not be an update next week for any of my stories. I have some major things that need to be don't so I won't have time for this. Stay with me shall not be updated this week or next week so I'm dreadfully sorry to all you Hayffie fans out there who follow my story!**

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><p>"Ah, Haymitch! I was begging to worry you'd made a run for it!" Plutarch's mannerisms seem out of place In this dingy room. "Which really would have been a waste of my time. Sorry for all that-" he waves his hand towards the door, indicating the two Peacekeepers who stand outside. "But if you'd have just got up and left while both your tributes were still in the arena you would have raised some eyebrows."<br>"So we're not in trouble?" I clarify. "then why are we in a jail?" I ask when he confirms my earlier statement.  
>"Holding room, not a jail. This is where you would go before they took you to jail." he explains.<br>"That makes me feel so much better." I say, voice dripping with sarcasm. I lean against the wall, waiting for an explanation. "this is all just for show? A ruse?"  
>"Of course it is! If we had been careless we would have been caught long before now. But this is as unsuspecting as you can get."<br>"Don't you think the Peacekeepers suspect anything?"  
>"Please, Haymitch. Let me talk." he says calmly. I shut up. "They're rebel Peacekeepers. They're part of the ruse. Now, this kind of "Show" shall happen again okay? When it's time for us to get tributes out. You, Eleven, Seven, Five, Four and Three. Rebel Peacekeepers will come and get you. Make a fuss, the microphones In the room are now hyper sensitive now, okay? Everything you say is captured."<p>

"Then how am I supposed to explain anything now?" I ask, crossing my arms across my chest, my head reeling. Trying to unravel what he's telling me at the same pace that he's explaining.  
>"Fake sponsor letters."<br>"You couldn't have done that with me? I have tributes that could die at any second waltzing around in an arena. It's really not preferable that I'm in here with you." he stands up, all cheerfulness gone from his features.  
>"Haymitch," he says slowly. "You are more connected to the Mockingjay than anybody else. Who's to say that you're not the one prompting her to do all this? Who's to say she's not you're puppet? Haymitch, you know your reputation. At least your reputation with those in charge." he doesn't need to explain my reputation I've had just mere weeks under twenty five years to accumulate and get used to it. I'm the one who will turn the Capitols weapons against them. I'm the veteran rebel. I'm the one who would stop at nothing to watch the Capitol burn.<p>

"Any contact that has been attempted with you has been intercepted. Nothing serious I assure you. Sponsor notes and the like. I was sure to add the money to Katniss and Peeta's accounts however. You just weren't aware of it."  
>"I wasn't paying attention to the sum anyway. Wouldn't have noticed." I say. Overwhelmed by the attention that those in charge are playing me. I hadn't exactly been censoring my comments as of late, which worried me. Since I had made a many comments that In their minds, would be a completely justifiable reason to have my head, literally.<br>"How opposed are you to Johanna attacking Katniss?" he asks the question so casually that I don't even believe he's serious. "None of the tributes can have their trackers in them once the plan is put in. And Katniss doesn't know this. Not a severe attack of course. Katniss won't have time to retaliate, we'll be right there to get them out, take Katniss and explain everything to her."  
>"I'm okay with that." I say, even though I'm not one huddled percent sold on this. So many things could go wrong. "Greater good and all." I mumble. He nods, obviously relieved that he won't need to try an convince me of anything. He knows that would be a lost cause. "so what happens once we're clear of this place? We get the tributes after we abduct a hovercraft?" I ask.<br>"Correct. You just need to make it to the roof. That's where we'll be departing from. Then we go to Thirteen."  
>Over these past few months I've accepted the fact the Thirteen does exist. I've talked with some representatives and their answers to my prying questions were too easily flowing and certain for them to be part of an intricate Capitol trap.<br>"Anything else?" I ask.

"No, I wasn't planning on keeping you long. Knock on the door thrice and they'll open it." he instructs me, brushing the dust from his jacket. I do as he said and after a few clicks and the grating sound of metal on metal the door swishes open making the air particles move around my face.  
>Under the smell of dust and mould there is a more pleasant smell to the air. It's a manufactured scent no doubt, Capitol made. It's not a smouldering flower-like scent but a crisp, fresh odour. Similar to apples or some other fruit. But before I can place the scent I'm whisked from the room. The pseudo Peacekeepers acting as my guard.<p>

We don't go the way we came; I think we're looping around. Probably just a precaution. Just in case there are real Peacekeepers monitoring that hallway which has marginally more traffic then this one.  
>The hallway we're walking through now has tall, slim windows all along the passage. I can see right through the Capitol, I also have a straight shot at the jumbo screen where the Games are being showcased. I'm Relived to see that our alliance isn't being showcased live because that would mean they were probably having difficulties- life threatening difficulties. I'm also relieved by the fact that it's a perfectly fine Chaff foraging for food.<br>As we move through the hall, the bars between the windows cut into my view . Making it as if I'm watching this as multiple pictures moving at an almost film-esque speed.

When then door to the Mentor's room swings open the chatter stops as they turn towards the door. By the look on everybody's faces they weren't expecting me back. Well, when the Peacekeepers had me marching down the hallway I hadn't thought I was coming back either, so I shouldn't be to surprised at their shock. I continue to walk forward, leaving the Peacekeepers behind. My shoes clack as I make my way across the floor to my honorary spot by Spicer. On my way past the refreshments table I grab two alcoholic drinks. One for me then one for after I finish the first one. Spicer doesn't care for beer anyway.

I sit down as I take my first swig of beer. Spicer turns his head slightly.  
><em>Everything good?<em> His eyes ask.  
>I wave off his question with my hand as I use the other to pour more alcohol into my mouth. He let's it rest, knowing if I was in any real trouble I wouldn't be sitting here right now.<p>

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><p>"Katniss didn't want Johanna for an ally did she, Haynitch?" asks Spicer, rubbing his temples. He doesn't even wait for my response. "That was a risky card you pulled there."<br>He's referring to how, just seconds earlier Johanna explained why she had Beetee and Wiress. It was because Katniss supposedly told me she would only ally with Johanna if she got her Nutts and Volts. Only, when Johanna brought it up, Katniss had no idea. You could see it on her face.  
>"She wouldn't have killed her," I assure him.<br>"How could you know that?" he asks.  
>"I just do." I say as Tick, tick reverberates around the room again.<br>"Oh, goody, she's back. Okay, I'm going to sleep. You and Nuts can guard together." Johanna decides before flopping down on the ground beside Finnick.  
>"Tick, tock. tick, tock." mumbles Wiress as Katniss settles her down on the ground.<br>There's an exasperated sigh from four sections over. It's Hector, he has his head leaning back onto his chair back and hands flung to the side in defeat.  
>"What the matter there Cogs?" asks Kelton.<p>

He earned the name 'Cogs' from the way he won his Games. Somehow, when he'd made it to the final two, he'd made some sort of complex trap out of random things he had found I'n his arena. Mostly rocks of course, he'd had one of the least vegetated arenas I'd ever seen. It had worked like dominos, or clockwork. Each piece setting of the next until hundreds of pounds of rocks collapsed on the girl from four.  
>He gives us a look, then looks around the room, as if trying to decide something. I'm not sure what, but whatever he decided involves us and District Four because he picks them up on his way over.<br>"Well?" asks Kaia crossing her arms and leaning on the arm of my chair.  
>"Wiress isn't mad," he starts.<br>"No, she's not." I agree. "But she is in shock."  
>"It's not that either, Haymitch. Shut it." he shoots me a glare. "She's trying to tell them something. It's the arena-"<br>"It's a clock." I mutter. Closing my eyes and imagining a huge circle-the arena. I think about the tolling that went off early this morning. Twelve of them. Twelve o'clock. Each event never lasted more than an hour. They had never happened in the same area. I open my eyes. It all seems so obvious now!

"Exactly," Hector sighs, running a hand over his shaved head.

My chair shakes as Kaia's weight suddenly disappears. She's made her way over to the refreshments table, she doesn't grab any food though just a blank napkin as she walks back she unfolds it and reveals a pen that was perched on her ear behind her blonde hair. She flits around the chair and to the table that has one dead and one live screen on it. She moves the tip of the pen over the thin napkin. It would have been a perfect circle if she hadn't jumped when the lightning hit the tree.  
>The white light flashes through the room from the twelve live screens and the four Career ones. Unfortunately, they had chosen to camp out just by the tree. The Careers aren't stupid though. And they don't panic. They just calmly-but quickly- start moving their butts from the lightning storm.<br>I lift my head to the clock on the doors to the beds. Twelve, noon.  
>"The lightning is at Twelve, then the rain, then fog, after that the monkeys. Then at ten there was that wave." mumbles Spicer, pointing out spots on the napkin.<br>"Haymitch?" I look towards Kelton, whose eyes are fixed on the clock. Or judging by his following comment, the door and where it led.  
>"Have you slept since this thing started?" he asks.<br>"If my answer is 'no' am I then banished to go have a nap?" I ask him in return.  
>"Yes."<br>"In that case, yes. I have slept."

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><p>Obviously, that didn't fool Kelton. It ended up being a collective effort to get me in here. I'm supposed to be sleeping, or at least attempting to. But my brain can't shut up. All my thoughts are going haywire right now. Everything I've learned today is going through my head. I can't keep any of it straight! If only I could catalogue my thoughts. That's such an Effie-thing to say.<br>Suddenly I sit up, nostrils flaring as I recall the smell that was in the holding room. That fresh, fruity smell was Effie's perfume.  
>That would explain was she hasn't come squeaking to me today about anything. But that feeling is quickly replaced with guilt. She is there because she's associated with me. The only thing she knows is that there is a rebellion going on. It's general knowledge so it should be no big deal. But the Capitol doesn't know that that's all she knows.<br>Maybe I do want to strangle her all the time but a life is a life and if she's killed that's another life lost on account of me.  
>Well, damn.<br>One second later, the door swings open. For a fleeting second I hoped that it was Effie but it was the complete opposite. It's Hunter, his massive silhouette framed by the light of the Mentors Room. His aging face supports a sneer.  
>"You might want to watch this, Abernathy."<p>

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><p><strong>Review if you please and remember that I can't update next week!<br>**


	23. Chapter 23:Not My Fault

**Ach! I's so sorry for my absence! Don't kill me! Real life was getting in the way of my virtual pass times! I hope you all know how that feels so you can sympathize with me *looks hopeful***

**So, I'm guessing there shall be roughly 28-30 chapters in this story. So we're nearing the end, which makes me really sad. I love this story. But I'm not continuing with Mockingjay right away! I've said this a lot. That's just because I want y'all to be aware of this! _AND_ I don't wont he Hunger Games**

**Now on to the chapter!**

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><p>At first, I see nothing amiss. Katniss, Peeta, Finnick and posse are surrounding a drawing of the arena, much like the one we have here on district Sevens table. Wiress is at the edge of the cornucopia's land mass while the others stay farther away from the water. My eyes scan the water, worried that the crabs will make a reappearance but there's no little white crustaceans skittering across the surface of the water. It's the crackling laughter from one and two that clues me in. I scan the water again, this time for something larger than the crabs. I find it. Or should I say them. They're swimming like sharks, quick and without drag.<p>

Wiress, too contented with her children's rhyme doesn't notice their advancement, and the others, too transfixed with their drawing to notice anything.

"Dammit!" I mutter, rubbing alertness into my eyes. "Just turn your head, Sweetheart! Just a bit!" I get to my seat, but don't sit down. I stand behind it. My hands grip the top, making the leather squeak as I dig my fingers in. Spicer has his mug of coffee in a choke hold, I'm surprised it hasn't cracked.

The malevolent laughter from my right gets slightly quieter in anticipation; an underwater shot just captured Gloss, mere feet away from Wiress, removing his knife from his belt.

He slinks onto the sand, knife between his teeth. He grabs Wiress by her hair and drags her towards him. Her hands clamp shut in shock, trapping the wire coil. I see a flash of movement out of the corner of my eye. It was Kelton, reaching out for Kaia's hand, she grabs it and squeezes gratefully and smiles a smile that doesn't reach her eyes.

Wiress let's out a squeak, but it doesn't get loud enough to alert the group before Gloss brings the blade across Wiress' throat. It's silent over at Three as Wiress' screen goes dark. But the career section gets louder as the other three make it to land.

A thwang resonates through the room. The thwang of an arrow. One and Two's satisfied laughters abruptly turns to shouts of outrage as the arrow pierces Gloss' temple. Brutus, outraged, prepares a spear to throw at Peeta for revenge. Peeta's to preoccupied to notice, he's trying to herd Beetee into the cornucopia since its clear he can't fight.

"Go, Johanna," we hear Finnick hiss and just when Brutus was about to throw the spear Johanna's axe flies inches from his face and is embedded in Cashmere's chest. The Career mentors are silent. Two tributes, the best two, were just killed in under twenty seconds.

There's the clang of metal on metal as Finnick deflects Brutus' spear then a horrified gasp from Seven, Four, Three and anybody who cares about Finnick. Enobaria's knife just made contact with Finnick's thigh. Not a deep cut, not lethal, but enough to make him stagger. The Career mentors get temporary rejuvenation from it but they quickly turn sour again as Brutus and Enobaria start to run from the Cornucopia, Finnick, Johanna, Peeta and Katniss in pursuit.

Then they aren't.

Like a top spun between a childs fingers the arena begins to spin. The tributes are thrown to the ground in an attempt to stay attached to the land. The three dead get thrown into the ocean, Beetee as well since he is not fast enough nor strong enough to grip onto the ground and find a strong hold.

The arena comes to a slamming halt and everybody still attached to the sand gets flung to the side slightly. Murmers of confusion break out through the room._ Why the did that happen?_ they ask. _Well_, I want to say. _We've just figured out the Gamemaker's tricks. They saw fit that we were walking around blind again._

When we're able to get a steady shot of the site we see inanimate object, besides the cornucopia, had been flung into the water.

"Where's Volts?" asks Johanna. Everybody snaps up onto their feet, the comb the beach for a quick second, Finnick is the one who spots him though. He quickly jumps into the water and swims the twenty feet to get him back.

"The wire's gone, they're not getting out of this arena without it." we're reminded by Kelton.

"Just watch," I urge, Katniss has been looking around frantically for something. She realizes the wire's important, maybe not how extremely important but she knows what it's like to care about something and loose it.

"Cover me" she says and without a confirmation she heads into the water. She swims fast, so fast, she doesn't have time to stop before she slams into Wiress' prone body. Katniss wrenches the coil from Wiress and makes it back to the land just as the hovercraft has pulled up One's female tribute.

There's a crash from District One's section. All our heads snap around. Jasper's red in the face and quivering with rage. The screen that used to show Gloss' view of the arena has been torn from its spot on the table, leaving coloured wires peeping out from a hole in the table. The screen itself is in many, many sharp pieces on the floor.

That pisses me off. We've all lost tributes, lost friends in these Games, we aren't blowing our tops. Being from the less fortunate districts we know the consequences. Jasper, being from one knows only how to get mad when things are not right. He has no right to act like the only one who's lost something in these last few days.

"Temper, temper." I cluck. Plutarch's voice ringing in my ears about the hyper sensitive mikes, I block him out. Glitter is out of her seat before I could even realize she was an inch away from me. Her fiery red hair seems to be bristling with electricity. Her Blue eyes stare straight into mine.

"Now you know how we feel." I say, being sure to blow some alcohol tinted breath in her face.

She launches herself at me.

I feel the sting of her fingers as they rake down my face. I feel the win rush out of me as her knee connects with my abdomen. I feel some of my hairs being ripped from my scalp ad she's wrenched off me.

"Please go back to sleep, Mr. Abernathy." cuts a gruff voice. I don't resist. Plutarch's words of warning are ringing in my ears. After that I can't afford to do anything else rebellious. No matter how much I want to.

"Okay." I nod to my allies, "Wake me up if something happens."

As soon as I'm boxed in with the darkness my mind travels to a place that is too far for my liking: the arena.

Katniss must realize something's up. Finnick has been saving Peeta's life left and right whenever she failed to do so. Delia was killed intercepting that monkey. Finnick left his district partner to save Peeta. Mags didn't make a fuss about it either.

She probably feels threatened, saving Peeta and sacrificing herself was supposed to be her job. Well, not if I can help it, sweetheart. In less than thirty six hours both of you are getting out of the arena. If we can help it so are Finnick, Johanna, Beetee, Chaff maybe even Brutus and Enobaria. Not on my watch are we loosing anybody else.

_"It's your fault, Haymitch." the voice resonates inside my head. "It's your fault I'm dead. It's you fault every other tribute you mentored before Katniss and Peeta is dead." Maysilee's face is the only thing I see, as if I'm holding up a photograph so close to my face I can see nothing else but her face. "It's your fault all these families were torn apart." her face is pale, bloodless. She doesn't blink so her pale blue eyes are boring into my own. The only source of colour and life are her lips; which are stained with blood._

No, I didn't do all this,_ I try to tell her, but my mouth won't work. I_t's not my fault, I didn't want them to I didn't want you to die.

_"You didn't try to stop it."_

There was nothing I could do,_ I try to say again._

_"Silence is affirmation, Haymitch."_

_Then my ears are full of the sound of crackling flames, I feel them coming from behind me. I try to duck but I'm stuck, paralyzed. But it made no difference. It went over me, leaving me untouched._

_I hear a scream. The fire, the danger soared over me and rammed into Maysilee.. The fire eats its way up her hair. Her arms, her clothes her skin. She screams as the flames go further and further up her body._

_"Your fault!" she screeches. I feel myself shaking, _it's not my fault. The fire went over me!_ She screams again._ I didn't do anything. It got you, I didn't try to let any of you get hurt. I'd rather I was dead._ I want to say all of this but I can't, she couldn't hear me over her screams anyway._

_But she continues to scream, wail after wail. And I can get away, I just keep shaking._

"Haymitch! Get the hell out of bed NOW!" it's a male voice now. My eyes snap open, Kelton has his face shadowed by the light pouring through the door.

"Haymitch get up." he says.

I fling my legs over the side of the bed.

"What's Happened?" I demand, Kelton starts to walk for the door.

"Katniss?" I hear a worried voice call. My stomach knots.

"What Happened to Katniss?"

"Nothing," kelton says as I hear Katniss' "I'm okay, I'm okay.". I feel colour return to my face.

"Jabberjays. They started screaming." he explains. "it sounded like Prim. Her sister right?" I nod I'n agreement. So the shrieks in my dream were the Jabberjays mimicking Prim's voice. Mimic, so they recoded it.

I blanch, that sound that the Jabberjays made was one of pure terror. Trauma, it's the scream of a child in an arena. They couldn't have done anything to her. That blond haired, blue eyed girl that we all love. They couldn't, wouldn't...

Of course they would.

"Jabberjays need to record their sounds?" I state, although it comes out like a question. Kelton was about to answer but another scream cuts through the air. This one we know well. This one Kelton knows well, I know well. All the mentors know well.

Maybe we know it's a Jabberjay, but we can't help but pale at the sound of Annie Cresta's screams.

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><p><strong>So, we've gotten to the jabberjays! This has been anticipated by some of you and I hope I'll write this well, i chose to focus more on FinnickAnnie since i think that Haymitch would be more affected by these two since he's known them for years and he's only known Primrose for a while.**

**Review!**


	24. Chapter 24:Five,Three and Twenty Four

**ITS THE JABBERJAY CHAPTER! I would just like to say I am quite content with how this all turned out. I'm surprised I'm even posting it today. So, just so you know, my exams are coming up and I have a whole lot of prepping for the things I need to do before summer. i.e exams and job searching and that wonderful stuff. SO, probably no chapter until after my exams are over. :/ sorry but I've gotta do what I gotta do.**

**I'm guessing that this story shall finish around August by the way.**

**So yea, I don't own about sixty percent of the dialogue you will read in this belongs to Suzanne Collins, _pas moi_.**

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><p>The look on Finnick's face makes me want to gouge my eyes out. The terror in his eyes, the fear, that something is happening to Annie is like a serrated knife cutting through my alcohol drenched feelings.<p>

"Finnick, wait!" Katniss gasps. But, already he is off like a bullet. "Finnick!" she gasps again as she hurtles after him.

"It's not real, remember, it's not real." murmurs Wanda, who has her hand balanced on Kaia's armrest. Kaia has her hands tangled in the strands of her hair, Kelton's gone all out with his hands clapped over his ears and eyes glued shut. Nobody wants to hear Annie's screams, real or not. Nobody wants to remember why she screams, nobody wants to admit that they scream inside the exact same way when they are reminded of the Games.

Finnick, with complete disregard for his own well being, is stampeding uphill towards the sound of the bird. Katniss, quickly getting winded without the help of the adrenaline kick that Finnick has is winded by the time she meets up with him. When she sees him though he does not see her.

"It's a warped recording, you can have a voice sample from anyone then do whatever you want with it." explains Hector to anybody who will listen. We all heard him, of course, but instead of responding we continue watching Finnick's frantic movements in the arena.

He circles a massive tree whose lowest branches are still forty feet from the ground. His traumatized cries for Annie are the focal point of the Games right now. Nobody would have known before that Annie Cresta is whom Finnick really cares about. People may not even understand now, after all, there's more than one Annie in this country.

Katniss stands to the side with her bow, helpless for a while until she realizes what to do. Scaling a tree of similar size, she climbs until she is level with the mutt. Notching the arrow, she aims and it hits home. The bird thumps to the ground at Finnick's feet.

In the loud silence of the mentors room we all expand a little and get our bearings again. No matter how stoney we act to avoid being used, we cannot deny the fact that we were all shaken by the birds.

Finnick picks up the dead bird and holds it at face level. To him, the sound was too personally identifiable that no matter what he can't accept that something else made the sound; no matter how much he wants to. I flop down in the seat by Spicer, my legs were shaking violently. And with the booze running through my system I was having trust issues with my body.

"It's all right, Finnick." Katniss's voice is only available through the speakers in Four and Twelve, because whilst this "gripping" event is being featured live; its only the visual. No audio. "It's just a Jabberjay. They're playing a trick on us." The sound is far and faint from my spot at Seven but it's loud enough."It's not real. It's not your... Annie." She finishes.

"No, it's not Annie." He agrees, "But the voice was her's. Jabberjays mimic what they hear. Where did they get the screams from, Katniss?" he snaps.

On the large screen above Katniss blanches when she puts Finnick's words together. Then from ten feet away I hear:"Oh, Finnick, you don't think they.."

"Haymitch!" Leslie cries from the other side of the room. I whip around in the chair. Leslie is focused on my screens. I focus in just in time to see Peeta bounce off another translucent surface. I bolt across the room, banging my shin on the leg of the table and muttering curse words all the way to my original place. Leslie is hovered over the screen as well. But as soon as I reach her side she lets out a sigh.

"Just an invisible wall. No forcefield. He's okay," she assures me.

At that moment the deep scream of a male grinds through Katniss' set of speakers. I have spoken maybe two words to the boy, I wouldn't know his scream. But by Katniss's reaction I can figure it out: it's Gale.

Again, what the viewers are seeing at thr moment has no live sound. Claudius is narrating. What I wouldn't give to try and find out what twisted version of this he is selling to them.

I'm multitasking at the moment; watching Katniss's screen with my right eye and Peeta's with my left. Peeta jumps up angrily and kicks the wall with his prosthetic leg. Johanna and Beetee are running up behind him.

"No. Its not him." Finnick says at the same time the sound of Johanna's axe hitting the wall reverberates out of the speakers. Finnick starts urging Katniss in the direction of the beach as Beetee walks calmly up to the wall and places his hand on it. "We're getting out of here!" Finnick declares, but Katniss ,blinded by whatever feeling she may have for Gale, won't comply. "It's not him, Katniss! It's a mutt!" Beetee steps away from the wall and turn to the other two."Come on!" Finnick yells then, finally, something clicks in that girls head and she starts running.

"They seem to have turned the gas particles in the air into an impermeable and invisible solid." explains Beetee. Peeta understands immediately and swings around so his face is parallel with the clear wall. I can only imagine all the self-deprecating thoughts goingthrough his mind right now. I should have gone after Katniss, he's thinking. I should be there with her, keeping her safe.

Now, Katniss, Finnick, Johanna, Beetee and Peeta are all in sight of each other. Katniss and Finnick are running at full tilt towards the wall.

There's a universal wince as the two of them smack into the wall. Katniss remains relatively unscathed but Finnick went face first. He sits up with a river of blood pouring from his nose. Katniss looks around helplessly. She doesn't try to penetrate the wall , she knows she stuck.

Peeta kneels down by Katniss and presses his palm to the wall. "It's not real. It's not true," he tells her, but Katniss's face remains unresponsive, it seemed the wall is also soundproof. Katniss matches her palm with Peeta's . She focuses on his face as more birds flap in around them.

Each new bird brings a new person's cry of distress for Katniss. But for Finnick, it's one woman's scream, repeated over and over again by dozens of birds. Finnick doesn't even bother to fight, immediately collapsing to the ground and folding himself into as small a form as he can while covering his ears. Katniss, being stubborn shoots arrow after arrow at the birds. But as one falls another takes it's place. Finally, warn thin by the screams she mimics Finnick's form on the jungle floor.

Peeta paces the wall, looking for any give but it's not until the time is up-this is one of the traps that only happens at a certain time I'm sure- does the wall disappear. Immediately, he has Katniss wrapped in his arms. And a shaky Finnick is being lead by Johanna.

They sit down together on the beach, Johanna lets Finnick soothe himself because he knows it's the only way to calm him down. Aside form seeing Annie whole and happy, and that's not really a possibility at this time.

"We'll be picking up Annie on our way to thirteen;Eleven, Four, Wanda Damien and Harlem. Then Ten, Reno and Amandla are going straight to Thirteen. The rest of you are getting the others out of the arena."

For a moment I'm confused, how does she know all this? Then I spot the deep blue envelopes that always contain letters from potential sponsors. Or in this case, letters from fake sponsors.

"It's all right, Katniss," Peeta soothes.

"You didn't hear them." she informs him, still clutched in his arms.

"I heard Prim." he tells her" Right in the beginning. But it wasn't her. It was a Jabberjay." he reminds her.

"It was her somewhere." Katniss insists, "The Jabberjay just recorded it" she argues.

"No, that's what they want you to think. The same way I wondered if Glimmers eyes were in that mutt last year." I get a shudder running through me as I remember my disgust when I saw the similarities between those mutts and the dead tributes. "But those weren't Glimmers eyes. And that wasn't Prim's voice. Or if it was, they took it from an interview or something and distorted the sound. Make it was wherever she was saying."

That, surprised me. Here I am thinking he's just bread boy, but he knows stuff about technology too.

"No, they were torturing her," She says, being stubbornly morbid. "she's probably dead." I suck in my breath, I didn't think she let her thoughts go that far, let alone accept them.

"Katniss, Prim isn't dead. How could they kill Prim? Were almost down to the final eight of us. And what happens then?" He urges.

"Seven more of us die," Katniss reminds him, not looking anymore cheery.

"No, back home." he prods "What happens when they reach the final eight tributes in the games?" he forces her to look at him by grabbing her chin. "What happens? At the final eight?"

"At the final eight?" She repeats, shell shocked. "they interview your family and friends back home."

"That's right," he congratulates her."They interview your family and friends. And can they do that if they've killed them all?"

"No?" she asks him as an answer. I sit down in my chair, I run my fingers over the Haymitch engraving as Peeta speaks again.

"No. That's how we know Prim's alive. She'll be the first one they interview, won't she?" I know he hopped she would answer, but she didn't. I glance behind me to Four's area, Kelton and Kaia have their heads together conversing silently again. Probably about Finnick's muteness. "First Prim," Peeta continues. "then your mother. Your cousin, Gale. Madge. It was a trick. A horrible one, but were the only ones Who can be hurt by it. We're the ones in the Games. Not them." at this Katniss loosens up a bit.

"You really believe that?" she asks him.

"I really do," he confirms.

"Do you believe it Finnick?" she asks, looking for a second opinion,

"It could be true. I don't know. Could they do that Beetee?" Finnick asks, bringing Beetee into the conversation. "take someones regular voice and make it..."

"Oh, yes. It not even that difficult, Finnick. Our children learn a similar technique in school." across the room I hear Hector mumble something along the lines of finally. Cogs has an issue with people not realizing "simple" things that all the techies in Three would known immediately.

"Of course Peeta's right." Johanna deadpans. "The whole country adores Katniss's little sister. If they really killed her like this, they'd probably have an uprising on their hands. Don't want that, do they?Whole country in rebellion? Wouldn't want anything like that!"

I am rather pleased with the look on Katniss's face. I'm sure Katniss is just itching to say what Johanna did-and more. But Katniss doesn't have the lady balls like Johanna does to say it. And Johanna doesn't have as reliable a filter.

"Filters are for sewage systems. I'm not sewage," she would say. I'd then respond with a comment where Johanna would inform me what would happen to my manhood next time she had an axe.

"I'm getting water." Johanna announces after a moment of shocked silence. Johanna grabs some shells to use as cups and walks swiftly by the others.

Katniss catches Johanna's wrist as she passes her. "Don't go in there. The birds-" she warns but then she remember that the birds are gone. That's why the walls came down. But Johanna responds of if the bird were still there.

"They can't hurt me. I'm not like the rest f you. There's no one left I love."

With that confession hanging in the air the live screen flicks to Skylar, district Fives last tribute. She's running but from what we can't tell just yet.

There's a thundering chorus of crocker and snaps as something bounds out of the bushes. At first glance, I thought it was three things but I soon saw that the three heads merged together before connecting to the large torso and chest of the cat.

Each head it at least two feet in diameter. The large mouths have three rows of razor sharp teeth that are glistening with saliva. The orange-y brown fur stands on end. At six feet tall and seven long it would be quite the adversary. But the coils upon coils of muscle rippling under the pelt is another level. The muscles have tensed all down the legs and onto the paws that are the size of dinner plates and equipped with serrated claws. Each head has a different colored pair of eyes. The one on the right has blood red eyes, the left coal black then the middle is pure white. As if it didn't even have irises at all. Their noses twitch and they blink knowingly looking down at Skylar who stands paralyzed below them.

Live sound is back on so you can hear the deep and guttural breathing of the cat monstrosity. Then the high pitched gasps from Skylar. You hear the crunch of twigs as the cat prepares to pounce and you hear it's snarl as Skylar dashes away.

Only she doesn't get far.

The cat lashes out with it's right paw. It connects with Skylar's leg and there's a sickening sound and a cry of pure pain then she's on the ground.

The camera shoots up, giving us a birds eye view of what's about to happen.

Her right leg is gone. From the middle of her thigh down is nothing. Not even ripped fibers of muscle or cracked pieces of bones. Those claws cut through her body like butter.

Skylar is on her stomach, back to the creature, unable to move because of the pain. The six cat eyes glint, as if relishing in this piece of horrible reality. Her chest is heaving and the mikes in the arena are picking up her quiet sobbing.

There's a scream as the monster pounces. But not from Skylar, from Reno. The aging woman screams as the mutt latches on at three points with each of it's heads. The right and left each grab their respective arm. Right at the top between the shoulder and elbow. The middle opens it's maw wide, and surrounds Skylar's head and locks its jaws around her neck. One, razor sharp paw is forcing her torso on the ground. For a brief second she struggles but then the creature jerks its heads and she's dead.

Five pieces. It tore her into five pieces. Her head, her arms, a leg and her torso with the other leg.

This has happened before. Many times. A disembodied tribute, missing arms or legs. Many times somebody has been beheaded. We've seen it before. We've seen kids torn apart before. We've heard the cannon blast. We knew there was no hope.

Another gone. Another one who will not be getting out of the arena alive. The final screen turned black at the District Five section.

Peeta, Katniss, Johanna, Beetee and Finnick are brought together by the sound of the cannon. When Katniss glances at Finnick I do believe I see some newfound sympathy hidden beneath her features. After the birds she realizes that Finnick is not the 'slut' she may have thought he was. He cares for Annie, the way Katniss cares for Prim. If she had any plans to kill Finnick they've now been washed away. No way she could do it now that she knows about Annie. She can't kill her friend.

Our Tributes don't know we just watched our friend be torn into five pieces.

The bread we send after has twenty four pieces. Twenty four Pieces from Three. We-we being: Spicer, Kelton, Kaia, Wanda Hector and I - huddle around the only live screen that District Three's area has to offer. We watch as Wanda carefully selects the amount of bread, double checking the fake sponsor note that is lying open in her lap. She clicks the button to send and we watch as the bread sails down from the skyline and drops at their feet. My tributes don't get it, but Johanna, Finnick and Beetee do.

They know they're not going to be in the arena much longer.

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><p><strong>I hoped you liked it:)<strong>

**So remember: probably no more chapters until my exams are done.**

_**! Guess what guys! It was my beta's birthday just the other day! Happy Birthday Pheonixflamesimmortal! You all should review with birthday wishes for her, cause she reads the reviews all the time!**_

**Review with your thought up until now!**


	25. Chapter 25: Soon

**Im sorry for my prolonged absence, i'm also sorry that this chapter isn't very good. Its one of those transition chapters that are no fun to write and not that much fun to read. So its shorter than usual, but it will be getting more exciting i promise.**

**I don't own the hunger Games.**

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><p>It's quiet, very quiet in the mentors room. Almost everybody has gone to sleep. It's only me, Hunter and a very sleepy Barley. Everybody's resting up for our mass breakout that will be taking place in a few hours.<p>

It's dark once our alliance decides to sleep or guard; depending on who you are. Katniss and Peeta elect themselves as the first watch people, and not soon after the others fall asleep, I become a topic of conversation. Or, more or less my lack of truthfulness towards those two.

"I don't know what kind of deal you think you've made with Haymitch,but you should know he made me promises as well."Peeta bluntly informs his guarding partner. "so I think we can assume he was lying to one of us."

Katniss doesn't speak right away, and when she does it not "Well, he's lying to you. You're getting out of here." but, "Why are you saying this now?"

"Because I don't want you forgetting how different our circumstances are. If you die and I live, there's no life for me at all back in district twelve. You're my whole life." I clamp my hands over my face, Peeta- the king or persuasions's words are familiar too, close to home.

"I would never be happy again." She cries. Gillia's long hair has tears in it. I have her wrapped in my arms. Stroking her hair, trying to calm her.

Katniss is trying to defend her feelings, I tried to defend my feelings but we were both shot down."It's different for you. I'm not saying it wouldn't be hard. But there are other people who'd make your life worth living." that's when the Peacekeepers had pulled her away. Obviously, I'd survived. But at a high cost.

On the screens, Peeta pulls out his necklace. Turns out though, it's a fancy necklace that opens. A... Locket, yup, locket. Inside, there are two images, one of Prim, and one of Gale. A very useful weapon, considering the event with the Jabberjays.

"Your family needs you Katniss."he tells her. "No one really needs me," he confesses.

I lean forward in my chair. The opportunity is just too good. She could say a few words that could guarantee both of their safety for another few hours. And that's all they need.

"I do, I need you." I have a little celebration party in my head. In the arena, the celebration is all exterior as the pair start to make out.

And I mean make out. Usually, I'm find with heavy lip lockers but they're just kids and it seems too personal, I cringe.

They come up for air at midnight when the lightning startled them out of their lust. It also wakes up Finnick, he sits up with a yell.

" I can't sleep anymore." he says without looking at them. "One of you should rest." he looks up to the pair, noticing the almost too inappropriate position they're in. "Or both of you " Katniss and Peeta jump apart, a little startled with themselves I believe.

"It's too dangerous." Peeta tells them."I'm not lie down Katniss." She doesn't object, but Peeta finds the opportunity to restate his closing argument. He places the locket around her neck, it lays right above her heart. "You're going to be a great mother you know."

Finnick perks his ears up at this. His eyes lock on the two of them as Katniss lays down. Peeta Moves away to let her sleep and goes to sit down beside Finnick. They sit in silence for a while, just watching the waves roll in. Peeta keeps turning his head, checking on Katniss.

"You can't control what's going to happen Peeta. We've never been able to." Finnick says after Peeta's turned back around for the fifth time.

"What?"

"You're trying to get her out of here alive. She's trying to get you out. But neither of you have control over what's going to happen."

"What would you be doing if Annie was here with us?" Peeta asks, accusation and maybe hopeful, looking for advice.

"I'd never leave her side if I had the choice. But I don't have the choice. Id do my damn best to protect Annie. I wouldn't even let her get scratched."

"I'm trying to do the exact same thing." Peeta reminds him.

"I'd keep myself safe for as long as I can. I'd protect her, but I wouldn't die unless I had no other choice, because I know loosing me would hurt her more than any sword or knife could."

"Katniss and Annie are two different people, Finnick." Finnick just sighs and lays down in the sand.

"They're similar." he picks up a handful of sand and watches it fall through his fingers. "They're both victors. They both lost somebody close to them in their games. They watched their allies die. I don't really know exactly what went on during Annie's games. I wasn't mentoring that year. You were in the games with Katniss. You mean a lot more to Katniss than you know."

"So you're saying I shouldn't try to save her?" asks Peeta incredulously.

"I'm saying that people do care about you and need you around." Peeta snaps his head around to look directly at Finnick, who has his eyes shut against the moonlight.

"You heard that?"

"Just that bit." Finnick assures him. "I was only up for a little bit. Between night terrors." Peeta nods. They're silent for a while the Finnick, whom I thought was being a terrible guard and fell asleep, speaks up.

"Can you and Katniss do us a favor and not run away? We kind of need you, for whatever plan Beetee's concocting."

I'm not sure whether to strangle Finnick or clap him on the back for what he just said. But I decide that, if I was there I wouldn't smack him because Peeta just agrees and they go on with their job.

Its a couple more hours before anybody comes out of their hibernation, Hector lumbers in, rubbing sleep out of his eyes. he doesn't say anything to anybody, he just uses his sausage-like fingers to punch in a request for a gift. Its more bread. Another reminder, we're almost in to day three right now. Day three, the twenty fourth hour. Not that much time to spare if anybody plans on getting into trouble. I'm not giving anybody the choice to get into trouble. I don't have any time to clean up messes and I'm sure nobody else, in the arena or no wants any added stress. Besides we're in the easy part now, we're not at war yet. I'm guarantying twenty four hours, the rebellion will be underfoot.

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><p><strong>Did you guys like my PeetaFinnick moment? I thought they deserved one. I also noticed Haymitch hasn't had a shower since the games started, so he'll probably have one next chapter...**


	26. Chapter 26: Too Prepared

** I had to post this today because otherwise it wouldnt have gotten up here until september. Also, my beta's wifi or something isn't working D': so yea, I'm a tad nervous about this chapter becauseold , sorry for the wait. I hope this will be worth it.**

**Don't own the Hunger Games.**

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><p>The room is so quiet that the squeak of the doors would've made you jump even if you were expecting it. I tilt my glass to my lips and feel the liquor run down my throat, there's no way I could face this upcoming event sober. Four Peacekeepers enter the room. Everybody has their eyes focused on the men as they march into the room. Their boots hit the floor in sync, making them sound bigger than they are.<p>

They march over to our spot by District Three's monitors their eyes comb over everybody around. The permanent Peacekeepers who've stood in the vertices of this room since the game started eye them with suspicion. I'm standing in the space between district three and district Two's monitors. About three feet away at the corner is a Peacekeeper. He shifts as the four who just marched across the room put their guns on us.

"District Four, Mr. Ryerson and Ms. Carleton." Those four sets of eyes snap up to the guns, it's all an act, they're thinking. Kelton, Kaia, Damien and Leslie stand up, behind me I hear a click. I stand up straighter and check behind my shoulder.

I drop to the ground, hoping that I really did see what I saw, otherwise I'm going to look like the biggest idiot ever.

I'm hitting the ground as the first shots ring out. That click, what I saw,it was him loading the bullets into the chamber of his gun. There's a male voice shouting "Get Down!" Our rebel Peacekeepers shoot back a round then I'm torn from the ground.

"You guys want him!" I feel a thick arm wrap around my windpipe, Hunter. I grab at his wrists, but my attempt to get him to release me fails once I feel his arms constricting around my throat. He has me facing a peacekeeper with a gun pointed straight at my chest. I look down the barrel of the gun, imagining a bullet zooming down it. "He's the rebel! Shoot him an leave us alone." Hunter tells the peacekeeper.

In the unfolding chaos, barely a handful of people are noticing what Hunters doing, so I'm on my own. But then again, if you want something done right you must do it yourself. I swing my leg behind me as the black spots bloom, hoping for a lucky hit. I get it, it makes contact with his nuts as the gun goes off. I don't feel anything hit my body, looking up I see one of our Peacekeepers with the gun, shooting at Hunter. He drops to the ground, giving my head a nasty tug before he does, but no real damage is done. I turn around and kick his head for good measure. Seeing my foot make contact with his face is very satisfying. It lolls of into a puddle of amber colored liquid, my drink. Damn, there's a waste off good liquor.

"Ass," I grumble.

I shake away the haziness that comes from having you airway obstructed, then whip around to face the full room. It's a strict one:one ratio for Peacekeepers versus victors, though not everyone is fighting. Catherine's getting the older mentors out of their chairs and out the door. Kelton, Kaia, Damien and Leslie have already gone.

"Go, Haymitch!" I get a shove in the back, stumbling forward. I turn my head, behind me is Wanda. I don't know why she hasn't gotten out all ready. I don't offer her my hand, just a: come on.

She jumps over her chair that collapsed in the sudden action and follows me towards the door. I feel something fly by my head, something big. It crashes into a peacekeeper and sends him soaring into the wall. It was a giant serving platter from the food table. Anything and everything is a weapon now.

"Watch where you're going Abernathy!" calls Spicer. "I almost brained you!" I don't verbally respond but give him the finger over my shoulder as I run from the room, Wanda and a parade of bullets on my heel.

Against the chaos I hear the sharp bam of a gun and steps faltering behind me.

"Whoa, watch out." I hear Spicer again and look behind. He's appeared by Wanda's side, supporting her.

She's been shot.

A circle of crimson is already forming on her shoulder. She keeps on though with Spicers support, and run through the twists and turns of the hallway, getting farther from the gunfire. Up ahead though, unless my ears are playing tricks on me, I hear more bangs and the sound of bullets bouncing of the cement walls of the stairwell around the corner.

We careen around said corner and stop. It's a three on four fight, with one lying dead. On of ours lying dead. Damien's gone, a bullet through his head is what looks like, if I'm judging my the pool of blood surrounding his head. Leslie's up on the stairs, attempting to get the door open but failing because she keeps having to duck to avoid the gunshots aimed at her by two Peacekeepers, on of who has an injured leg and is sitting down. It's affecting his aim, so most of the bullets are denting the concrete and sending small chunks of it raining down on Kaia and Kelton who are excelling in hand to hand combat with a peacekeeper for each. I hear a bang as Leslie slams a chunk of cement against the doorknob, denting the metal but doing no further damage. Nobody's noticed us yet.

There's another shot, followed by an even louder crack and a gasp. Up above, a lethal-sized chunk of cement was dislodged and plummets to the ground. But in between the ground and where it fell from is Kelton and his peacekeeper. But it's not Kelton who's hit.

It's almost slow motion, watching Kelton pushed to the side, into another peacekeeper. Seeing the chunk of grey cement land on Kaia's blond head and the strands forming a river she goes down.

There's a dead silence for a moment then it all starts again, Kelton sends his elbow into the Peacekeepers face. It smacks his head against the wall and he crumples, landing over Damien.

Spicer is heading up the stairs with Wanda, Leslie's continued to pummel the door with the rock and is making progress . Kelton kicks the only peacekeeper left to fight, since he already knocked one out, one was crushed under the rocks with Kaia and I just kicked the injured one in the face. The usually dry, grey cement floor is now red and slick with blood.

I nearly wipeout when I jump over the bodies as I head for the stairs, I hear no footsteps behind me, even though I know I should be followed by Kelton. I turn to see him fixated on Kaia, who hasn't moved since the rock fell.

I hop of the stairs and go towards him.

"C'mon," I grumble grabbing the front of his shirt. "Move, she knew what she was doing, we all do. We knew we were going to die. But right now you're not doing her any favors." I pull him forward by his shirt and he follows up the stairs. We get to the door that's now busted open, Leslie, Spicer and Wanda are nowhere in sight. We're two floors from the top, almost there. We make our ways through the hall ways, there's no main stairwell in this place, to easy to escape of there were, and hard to get into if you weren't supposed to be there. We run past windows, turning our heads, we can see that the streets are filling with Peacekeepers and pedestrians in all colours of the rainbow, they've come to see the show. The Capitol loves a good show.

The colorful people remind me that Effie still hadn't come to nag me about anything. She hasn't given any messages to anybody to give to me. She might have just dropped of the face of the earth if I didn't know better. I know they took her, for what purpose I'm not really sure. I'm hoping it was for ransom, that way I could be fairly certain she was still alive. That would mean we had a chance to get her back, since, as much as she bothers me it would still be a waste for her to die. But we can't save her now.

I can't do anything either, only mentally send her my piece of token advice. Stay Alive... Please. Thats all I think I think I would say to her, because it's really all she can do now.

We get to the next set of stairs and look up they go all the way to the roof, we're almost out.

We sprint up the stairs, but halfway up we falter as the sound of rushing water echoes off the walls.

"What the hell?" I hear Kelton ask behind me. In my head I repeat his question but I keep going up, the narrow stairwell sends the sounds bouncing back and forth. As we get farther up I hear the sound of electricity then screaming.

I rush out onto the roof and promptly slip and fall on my ass.

Water. Then as the crackling ad burning sensation of electricity runs through my system I understand. Mass electrocution. I feel the hot pointy fingers web their way over my skin, I can't control my motor skills now. I hear myself scream, I try to contain it. So nobody can get the satisfaction. But I can't help it. I twist and turn in the water, getting more and more water over my body and giving the electricity more access to wreak havoc over my body. I open my eyes briefly, fighting against my own body. My body is trying to just shrink away to where it can't be touched by the electricity,I want to listen to my instinct. I want to crawl away and get away. I want it to stop.

Opening my eyes I see the others in the same position I am. All flopping around the roof like fish as more Peacekeepers rush through the doors with guns. I only see their feet and I figure out why its only us feeling the effects of the electricity. Each of them is sporting a pair over very thick rubber boots. They're prepared, too prepared. Now hovercrafts are landing, rebel ones or not I'm not sure. I hear the gears of the automatic doors of the hovercrafts opening up onto the roof. I'm struggling using all my will power to try and get up, knowing that I have to get out of here, get to the arena, get away from the burning sensation I can feel getting closer and closer to my core. Its like I'm being fried. A burning,crackling feeling working through every fiber in my body, frying them like cheep wires hit by lightning.

...And the fingers of electricity stop. I lie still for a moment then swing to my feet. I see many others do the same. I look towards the hovercafts, Plutarch stands in the door, a gun positioned to shoot.

All the recently submitted victors start running again, almost all. I see one of the Peacekeepers that had been standing on a plastic beam that runs the perimeter of the roof slouched against the invisible forcefield. My guess he was the one controlling the electricity. I'm also guessing he was shot by Plutarch.

The Peacekeepers are in shock momentarily by the head Gamemakers appearance and newfound rebel status. But a momentary pause is all we need. We rush to the Hovercrafts where we recognizes the fellow rebels. There's a lot of slipping and cursing and gunshots staring again, but with our goal in sight nobody's stopping for a moment. I get to the dry ramp that leads into the hovercraft.

"Haymitch!" I hear Plutarch yell in relief, he turns his head back out towards the roof as I stumble onto a crate, "Where's everybody else?"

"I-I have no clue!" I look out into the re-commencing chaos. And I still don't know. I just see the water, now becoming stained red as more popping sounds meet my ears.

"Jeremy! We can't wait! Go, Now!" I have to idea who Jeremy is, but as the doors to the hovercraft close and I hear the engines pick up, I assume it's the pilot.

"We're leaving everybody?" I ask, slightly shocked, I assumes Plutarch would stay for more than just me. Even though I know why, business is business. And they would have done the same thing if I'd still been on the roof. Hell, I'd have wanted them to leave me behind.

"No choice, Haymitch. You should understand that." I stand up as I feel the hovercraft lurch into the air and a rally of bullets hit the metal door.

"Understood of course" I tell him. More bullets rattle on the metal shell of the craft. I wish people could have been faster.

"Good! Now go change, you're making a mess." he shoes me away by throwing me a basic set of pants and a shirt.

I change quickly, when I come back I hear static and then a voice.

"Not too many people hear Plutarch. Me, Catherine, Reno, Barley. Thats it. As soon as you left hundred of peacekeepers suddenly flooded in. We were gonners then." it's Kelton's voice coming over the speaker, no doubt he's in the hovercraft on their way to get Annie. "We had to leave, Plutarch." it's Catherine's voice now.

"Of course I understand!" Snaps Plutarch, pinching the bridge of his nose. He sits in a chair by the control centre of this craft. Around him, buttons blink and dials show whatever there supposed to show. Plutarch has a hand resting on a button that, when I get closer, I realize says speaker.

"Yeah, he understands," I grumble coming to stand beside him. The system in the Hovercrafts is basically the same as the one in the mentors room. A small screen and speakers. Only now, we see them, they see us. "I'm the only one here." somehow Catherine's face pales and colors at my news. Relived, maybe that I'm here. But saddened that I am the only one.

"They were just too prepared." she says, twisting her hair in her hands, "They've been expecting this for years."

"Let's not focus on this, just focus on whats next please," Plutarch requests. "Just get Annie and get to Thirteen." His words are terse, an order if I ever heard one. But he's watered down the order. "Just get Annie and get to Thirteen" is a lot more than "just get Annie and get to Thirteen." Plutarch didnt mention-not hat he needed to, we're all painfully aware of it- the fact that we're undoubtably being tracked by the Capitol.

Kelton and Catherine nod, then there are screams. But not from our craft, theirs. Kelton and Catherine whip around and out of the screen, we can't see anything now thats going on and we have no way of finding out. There's I violent shake of the monitor on the other end. We hear crashes and a massive boom works through our speakers.

Then the screen is grey, no connection. Plutarch has a headset on and is talking very fast and very worriedly into the mouthpiece. He;s trying ot get contact with the others. I say nothing, but wait a painfully long time before Plutarch sighs. More gone.

More Gone. Feel a different kind of heat boil up inside me. Its not unlike the electrocution. But its not making me want to shrink away from the world and everything in it. It makes me want to tear down the world, and everybody whose been making this world a living hell.

"What happened?" I ask.

"A missile I suppose," Plutarch sighs, calmly.

"You're awfully calm about this, Heavensbee." I snap, "a war isn't won by the side whose members are dropping like flies." The analogy is harsh but true. We can't win if there's five of us against an army.

"Screaming on the inside, I assure you. This thing is looking harder and harder to pull off. I don't want to abandon this so we might die soon, I'd like to die with some dignity" he informs me. Its a typical answer for a person who's always been spotlighed and cared about the public's opinion. But there is no spotlight now, no limelight. No public to impress.

I know right now isn't the time to joke about alcohol, but with everything just falling down in less than half an hour, it makes things feel a little more normal.

"I'd rather die with a drink than dignity."

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><p><strong>Just so y'all know felt like a mass murderer through this whole thing. It was very hard for me to kill all these people.<strong>


	27. Chapter 27: Let's see what happens now

***insert standard discalaimer here***

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><p>We got her out first, meaning that she was the only one we were sure to get. She didn't see me as she was hauled into the hovercraft amid the sparks, bangs and explosions of the arena and gunfire. Although, I don't think Katniss could have done anything had she wanted to. Half dead, stuck to a latter and all.<p>

Why I chose to get her out first I don't know. I knew whichever one I chose, the moment we made a move for them the other would be in the hands of the Capitol and there would be nothing we would do about it. And so it was, as we went back for another, looking on the infrared arena map, I saw Peeta was gone. And we weren't interested in a suicide mission, so up came the next closest person: Beetee. Then the golden boy himself, half dead but marginally better than the other two.

Then that was it.

We had multiple crafts after us and more guns than we would have liked showering us with bullets. We left, with only half the goal complete and wondering if it was the right half.

I told Plutarch: get Katniss. He'd expected that obviously, so had I but I had been wondering about my reasons. Or, maybe lack there of. But I had my reasons. I'd needed time to sort them out. Booze, is not the best director of thoughts it appears.

She's going to want to murder me; for letting this happen. But it won't me just me she's after; it'll be anybody who hurts Peeta. I'm still not sure whether its out of love or her need to settle a debt that is driving her. But either way the job will get done. She will fight, kicking, screaming and biting to get him back. Which is what we need her to do, what the Mockingjay is supposed to do. Peeta wouldn't do it. He wouldn't charge through the streets of the capitol with a loaded gun to get her back. He wouldn't put anybody at risk. He'd walk into the Capitol, unarmed and ready to surrender. We can't have that, because no sooner would Peeta's heart come to a stop than Katniss would be right there dead beside him. Then look at us, are two best pieces gone.

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><p>"Don't be stupid," I say "That's the worst thing you could do. Get her killed for sure. As long as you're alive, they'll keep her alive for bait." No sooner has Finnick excepted that fact does the door burst open. Across the threshold stumbles Katniss. She's not supposed to be here, a point made obvious by her attire.<p>

"Done knocking yourself out sweetheart?" we've been disturbed more times than I would have liked on this ongoing journey by the obnoxious beeping of the medical tools. Really, though she was just slowing herself down if she could just stay calm for a moment, she'd be fine. Suddenly she tumbles forward, I'm on my feet in a moment, grabbing her wrist to steady her. My eyes travel up from her wrist to her hand. Wrapped in her fingers is a syringe, no longer than my middle finger, also empty.

"So," I look up to face, "it's you and a syringe against the Capitol? See, this is why no one let's you make the plans." she only stares back at me blankly, the 'weapon' still tightly clutched in her fingers. "Drop it," I say, squeezing her thin wrist in my hand. I tighten my grip until I force her hand open. Once the syringe drops to the ground I place my hands on her shoulders and steer her towards an empty seat by Finnick.

She doesn't do anything when Plutarch moves untouched bowls of food in front of her. Plutarch tells her to eat. God knows none of us feel like it. I sit directly across from her.

"Katniss, I'm going to explain what happened. I don't want you to ask any questions until I'm through." I look her in the eye. "Do you understand?" she nods, and I continue.

I watch her face, surprisingly apathetic as I explain the plan. If only I could figure out what was going through her head. On occasion I look to Plutarch, he could give his input but it's an informative monologue for the longest time until I stop. I'm finished explaining, now the floor is open to questions.

Subtly, she turns her head, rolling her neck. Then, still for a moment, she lets the last of the information sink in.

"You didn't tell me."

"Neither you nor Peeta were told." Plutarch says, very softly and very kind. "We couldn't risk it. I was even worried you might mention my indiscretion with the watch during the games. Of course, when I showed you this, I was merely tipping you off about the arena. As a mentor. I thought it might be a first step toward gaining your trust. I never dreamed you'd be a tribute again." again, another pause, another review, another glance around.

"I still don't understand why Peeta and I weren't let in in the plan." there's hurt underneath her confusion. If she hasn't already, soon she'll notice Peeta's not here.

"Because once the forcefield blew, you'd be the first ones they'd try to capture, and the less you knew, the better." I sigh, leaning back in my chair.

"The first ones? Why?"

"For the same reason the rest of us agreed to die to keep you alive." Finnick finally gives his two cents.

"No, Johanna tried to kill me," she snaps without thinking. She's not aware of the outcome of what happened.

"Johanna knocked you out to cut the tracker from your arm and lead Brutus and Enobaria away from you." I snap, swinging forward and leaning on the table.

"What?" I close my eyes in frustration; Katniss _still _doesn't understand! "I don't know what you're-"

"We had to save you because you're the Mockingjay Katniss. While you live the revolution lives." Plutarch's word send the room into silence.

"Peeta," I know now, she's worked it out. She's put the pieces together. She's realized that we picked her and left Peeta to the Capitol in full awareness of our actions.

"The others kept Peeta alive because if he died, we knew there's be no keeping you in an alliance" _and they will keep Peeta alive in the Capitol for the same reason_ is what I also want to say but I don't. We've delivered many harsh truths today and she doesn't need another on her shoulders,"and we couldn't risk leaving you unprotected. "

"Where is Peeta?" she hisses, what I told her was something she had to hear but not the answer she wanted me to say.

"He was picked up by the Capitol along with Johanna and Enobaria." it was simple, to the point, and cut through her like a knife.

I realize what's happening as her nails rake across my skin. She's flung herself across the table in attempt to tear my face off. She's screaming at me, awful things I'm sure she means. I retort, my words dripping with venom. But I don't really mean them, not like she does. Her nails broke my skin, I feel the blood starting to bead from the cuts. I reach out towards her shoulder and try to throw her back over the table.

For a moment I think she's given up, only to see that the others have restrained her and are dragging out. She still struggling, still screaming at me; telling me I'm a bastard, an asshole, I should've been in the games, I should have been killed by my friends and watch them die.

Maybe I agree with her.

* * *

><p>Conversation stops when the Capitol seal lights up the screen on the far wall. It's been an hour since the incident with Katniss, a slightly bloody napkin in on the table in front of me. The cuts on my face still sting, but it's become a constant that I no longer care about. The seal stays for a moment, allowing us all a few seconds of confusion. the confusion continues during the first few seconds of footage. Its not until an areal shot showing a smoking town, bombs showering down and rubble flying everywhere, does somebody realize what we're being shown.<p>

"Twelve," I say, getting up from my chair and moving closer to the screen. The shots keep switching, from hovercraft to hovercraft I presume. Some closer, some farther away. In the closer ones I see fast moving specks, sometimes a bomb will drop, stopping the specks. Stopping the people. _They're bombing the entire district. _

"What do we do?" Plutarch is the only one still in the room, he holds my gaze, watching as i make a decision. My home, my jurisdiction I suppose.

"We go get the survivors." I state only to have it shot down immediately.

"We can't!" Plutarch throws his hands up in the air.

"Plutarch," I turn my back to the screen, "you asked me what to do and I told you. You know me well enough to know that that was what I was going to say. We need to do this."

"We need to get to thirteen! We don't need to save these people!"

"You need Katniss!" I yell back at him, taking steps towards him. "She's not going to let herself be kept in the dark, she'd find out about this I we didn't tell her first. She'd find out that we didn't help these people." Plutarch just stares at me from his seat, hands together in front of his face and eyebrows raises, telling me to continue.

"She's not fighting for herself if you haven't noticed. She attacked me," I gesture towards my face where the fresh scratches are still visible. "because of Peeta, because we left him behind."

"That was your choice, Haymitch!"

"It was the best choice. She's going to protect everybody. She's not going to let anybody get hurt. But she will fight. The boy wouldn't do that. He'd work hard to convince us that we can't do this, we can't revolt. And he won't help us the way she will." I stop, realizing that I've gotten of topic. I sigh and sit down in the chair by Plutarch so we're now eye to eye.

"You wan her to help? Help her. Her family lives in twelve, her friends. she cares about the people down there. We just need to try, try to save them. If she loses them, you'll have no hope of getting her to complying with anything you want her to do."

"Fine," Plutarch stands moves out from the table and walks out the door. Anger apparent in his heavy and begrudging steps. I'm left alone to watch the black and white but very current footage. After each new bomb is dropped I think that's it, they're done. But I was never right, more and more rain down. So much so I think it's redundant. There's no way anybody could still be alive there.

Will this be happening in each district? Surely not, the Capitol loves a show. Maybe that's all it is to Snow. Another game to play by ear, select your pieces and find out how to use don't destroy the opponent before you get to use your pieces if you're Snow.

We've all got our pieces, we're all pieces. We've all got our loyalties, mottos and priorities. Maybe that's all we'll have left soon. Ideals that in no way fit in to our war game society.

Or maybe, maybe this is it. Maybe there is no staying alive anymore. Maybe we're orchestrating our own apocalypse.

I guess the only way is to stay alive as long as you can and find out.

* * *

><p><strong>Again, sorry for the long wait. I had the distractions of reality (school, job finding, Dentist visits etc) to deal with. <strong>

**So that's the end of this story. It was six months of my life I promise in the next couple of weeks i'll be like "OMG I need to get a new chapter up!" the "Oh... wait..." As far as I'm aware I will not be doing Mockingjay. I may potentially be putting up an Avengers story or two but we'll see. Or maybe some spinoff from this one here, cause there were a few things where I went "ha! That'd be a good idea!" but who knows.**

_**~Acknowledgments~ **_

**First of all I have to thank my beta, -who is also my parabatai for all you who understand what that is- you did an absolutely wonderful job and the fact that you web bothered to read the chapters once is amazing and I was surprised you even wanted to read ten again to tell me where to fix them. You we're honest with me( thank you lord) and your idea's were wonderful. This got 100% better because of your fine editors eye. So thank you thank you thank you from the bottom of my heart. **

**Now, to all you who reviewed, and favourited, and followed. Ahhhhhhh! You have no idea how much I love you! I just published this because I felt it would be nice to have up here. The fact that all you guys liked it and wanted more and waited for each chapter fills my heart with joy. I don't understand some of you, how excited you are when I update- I'm just me guys!- but you love the story and you've been so supportive. You we're the driving force in getting these last chapters in, so thank yourselves for getting this done! **

**I even want to thank you guys who didn't follow, of favourite, or review. I know you're there, I saw the hits I had on the story. there's almost 20000 hits on this thing. What? How did this happen? It happened because you clicked on my story because you thought it might be interesting! Maybe you thought it was crap, maybe you thought it was gods gift to fans (I highly doubt that though) but none the less, you clicked on it and I thank you. **

**Also thank you to my family for not judging me on my hobbies that they don't understand. **

**So that all folks! Leave a review if you like. Or message me on tumblr (insidethefangirlshead). **

**Tata lovely people! **


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